2 Cambodian journalists arrested for treason over PMN-2 landmine photo
Two Cambodian journalists, Porn Sopheap and Pheap Pheara, from TSP 68 Online, were arrested in late July and charged with treason after posting images related to the Thai-Cambodian border conflict.
According to reports from the Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defence of Human Rights (LICADHO), the journalists were accused of "supplying a foreign state with information prejudicial to national defence" under Article 445, a treason charge that carries a prison sentence ranging from 7 to 15 years.
The two journalists were arrested on July 31 after returning from a reporting trip in Oddar Meanchey, located near the Thai border. They were subsequently charged by the Siem Reap court and are currently in pre-trial detention at Siem Reap prison.
Their case has drawn significant attention following a video apology from Pheara's wife, Om Sarath, who requested intervention from Cambodian leaders, including Senate President Hun Sen and Prime Minister Hun Manet.
In the video, Om Sarath expressed regret on behalf of her husband, apologising for taking and sharing the photograph in a restricted military area. She appealed for her husband's release, emphasising that he did not have malicious intent and asking for forgiveness from the Cambodian people.
The image in question showed both journalists alongside several Cambodian soldiers in front of Ta Kwai Temple, allegedly taken after the July 28 ceasefire. Thai media interpreted the photo as showing unplaced landmines in the background.
Maj Gen Winthai Suvaree, spokesman for the Royal Thai Army, commented on the incident, stating that the photo clearly indicated the use of deadly landmines by Cambodian forces during the border conflict.
While acknowledging that the photo may have been shared unintentionally by the journalists, he argued that it served as undeniable evidence of the situation.
The Royal Thai Army further criticised Cambodia for prosecuting the journalists, claiming the charges were part of a broader attempt to suppress press freedom and conceal critical information.
Winthai stressed the importance of transparency and the role of the media in presenting factual information, calling for continued cooperation between Thailand and Cambodia in line with the General Border Committee (GBC) agreement of August 7 to ensure a sustainable ceasefire and peace between the two nations.
