Two Cambodian reporters have been sentenced to 14 years in prison on treason charges linked to coverage of border tensions with Thailand, sparking alarm among press‑freedom groups.

Porn Sopheap and Pheap Pheara, both working for the online outlet TSP 68 TV Online, were arrested in late July 2025 after reporting from Oddar Meanchey province near the Thai border. On 17 December, the Siem Reap Provincial Court handed down the sentences in proceedings that began and ended the same day. Their lawyer confirmed appeals have already been filed.

The case centres on Facebook posts and a photograph taken with Cambodian soldiers at Ta Kwai Temple following a ceasefire on 28 July. The Royal Thai Army alleged the image showed unplaced PMN‑2 anti‑personnel mines, claiming it was evidence of Cambodia breaching the Ottawa Treaty banning such weapons.

Authorities charged the journalists under Article 445 of Cambodia’s Criminal Code, which punishes supplying information deemed harmful to national defence with seven to fifteen years in prison. Details of the evidence presented remain unclear.

Rights groups, including the Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights and Human Rights Watch, say the case reflects a broader crackdown on independent media during heightened border tensions. They warn that treason laws are being used to criminalise journalism and silence critics.

The imprisonment comes amid a series of arrests of journalists and commentators covering sensitive issues, from border disputes to cybercrime networks. Observers fear this signals a widening clampdown on free expression in Cambodia.

For now, Sopheap and Pheara remain in detention at Siem Reap prison, awaiting the outcome of their appeals. International organisations are calling for their release, arguing that reporting on border conflicts should not be treated as treason.

-2026-02-21

Almost the same as in Thailand, but in Thailand journalists are not the target.