The United States and human rights groups on Monday condemned the conviction of a Cambodian teenager who was sentenced to eight months in prison over messages he shared on Facebook and Telegram insulting ruling party officials.
The sentencing comes amid a broad crackdown in Cambodia on the opposition, civil society and the media that began in the run-up to a 2018 election.
Sovann Chhay, 16, who rights group say has autism spectrum disorder and is the son of a detained political opposition member and an activist, was sentenced to eight months on Monday, of which he will serve four months and 15 days in prison with the remainder of the sentence suspended.
