UN concerned by conviction over Facebook post

Raya was charged with incitement to commit a felony or to disturb social security over a post on his personal Facebook page that “one day, in the future [I will] make a colour revolution to change the regime for Khmer society”. He was arrested shortly after posting the comment in August 2015.

The 25-year-old, who attends Khemarak University, was sentenced to 18 months in jail on March 15, 2016. With six months already served in pre-trial detention, he faces another year in prison.

“Freedom of expression is the right of all citizens, and an important feature of a genuine democracy,” said Laurent Meillan, OHCHR’s acting regional representative in Bangkok, in a statement.  “For someone to face criminal charges over exercising this right – particularly in what is essentially a personal area – is a clear indication of the diminishing democratic space in Cambodia.”

The OHCHR Regional Office urges the Cambodian government to cease prosecution of individuals merely for expressing an opinion.

“In Cambodia, there are domestic and international laws that protect the rights to freedom of opinion and expression,” said Meillan. “These rights are entrenched in Cambodia’s Constitution, and should be promoted and respected by law enforcement officials and the judiciary alike.”

The UN agency also called on the Cambodian government to ensure it upholds international

human rights obligations  with respect to freedom of expression.