Cambodia sentences journalist Sok Oudom to 20 months in prison

Bangkok, December 22, 2020 – Cambodian authorities should not contest journalist Sok Oudom’s appeal and should ensure that journalists do not face prison time for their work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

Today, the Kampong Chhnang Provincial Court convicted Sok Oudom of broadcasting false news with intent to cause incitement, and ordered him to be imprisoned for 20 months and to pay a 20 million riel ($4,954) fine, according to a report by CamboJA, a news website run by the Cambodian Journalists Alliance, a local press freedom group.

Sok Oudom, owner of the local Rithysen 99.75 FM radio station and news website, had been held at the Kampong Chhnang Provincial Prison in pretrial detention since May 13, according to CPJ research and a statement emailed to CPJ by the Cambodian Journalists Alliance. That statement said that the journalist plans to appeal today’s verdict.

read more https://cpj.org/2020/12/cambodia-sentences-journalist-sok-oudom-to-20-months-in-prison/