The conviction of a journalist who reported on comments that Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen made publicly about COVID-19 is a threat to all reporters covering the pandemic, local media groups say.
A Phnom Penh court gave Sovann Rithy an 18-month sentence on Monday but ruled that the journalist, who has been in custody since April, be released for the remainder of the sentence.
Kuch Kimlong, a spokesperson for Phnom Penh Municipal Court, confirmed that Rithy, 31, who runs the news outlet TVFB on Facebook, was convicted of incitement and that he would be released.
