Cambodian Journalists Sentenced to 14 Years, Press Freedom Eroded
The Supreme Court of Cambodia has upheld a guilty verdict and a 14-year prison sentence against two journalists on charges of treason for uploading photos to Facebook in 2025 related to border clashes with Thailand. The two journalists are Phorn Sopheap from Battambang Post TV Online and Pheap Pheara from TSP 68 TV Online.
The decision, read out on Thursday (26/06), sparked fresh accusations from human rights groups that Prime Minister Hun Manet’s administration is influencing the courts to stifle press freedom.
One of the defence lawyers, Kang Pothe Vireak, said the Supreme Court issued the ruling after a brief hearing. He stated that the highest court deemed the sentence against the pair to have a strong legal basis under Cambodian law.
The two journalists, Phorn Sopheap (39) and Pheap Pheara (41), were sentenced to 14 years in prison by the Siem Reap Provincial Court in December 2025 after being found guilty of “providing information harmful to national defence to a foreign state” under Article 445 of the Cambodian Criminal Code.
They were arrested separately on 31 July 2025 after returning from an assignment in Oddar Meanchey province. This area borders Thailand and was one of the locations of the 2025 fighting. They were accused of producing content that revealed Cambodian military positions and strategy during the conflict.
Their sentences were previously upheld by the Battambang Court of Appeal in March 2026. The defendants then appealed to the Supreme Court. The final ruling issued by the Supreme Court can only be overturned by the King.
“The baseless prosecution and cruel imprisonment of these two journalists demonstrate the contempt of Cambodian authorities for press freedom,” said Bryony Lau, Deputy Asia Director for Human Rights Watch, to The Associated Press.
“By criminalising journalism and jailing journalists, the Hun Manet administration is limiting the Cambodian people’s sources of independent information and hindering journalists’ ability to tell stories about Cambodia to the world.”
Cambodian Information Minister Neth Pheaktra defended the decision. He stated that the court reached an independent decision based on the law, which he said “protects journalism while safeguarding national security, political stability, and national defence.”
“Cambodia fully respects press freedom and the vital role of journalists in a democratic society,” he told the AP. “However, journalists, who stand in the same position as other citizens, must distinguish between legitimate journalism and acts that violate the law. Freedom of expression is a protected constitutional right, but it is not without limits, and it does not grant immunity from criminal responsibility.”
Cambodia has faced international condemnation for arresting activists, environmentalists, and journalists, including an award-winning reporter involved in investigations into corruption and online scam centres in the country.
Cambodia’s press freedom ranking was downgraded this year by the US-based advocacy group Freedom House, because “almost all independent media in the country have closed.”