The Phnom Penh Municipal Court convicted online journalist Sovann Rithy on Monday morning and handed him an 18-month suspended sentence, nearly six months after he was arrested for reporting comments made by Prime Minister Hun Sen.
Court spokesperson Kuch Kimlong confirmed that Sovann Rithy, who runs Facebook news outlet FB TV, had been convicted for incitement and sentenced under Article 494 and 495 of the Cambodian Criminal Code. Kuch Kimlong confirmed that the 18 months prison sentence had been suspended and that Sovann Rithy would be released from detention.
“The presiding judge of the Phnom Penh court decided to sentence him to 18 months in prison for incitement, but the remaining prison term has been suspended as of today’s verdict,” Kuch Kimlong said.
