Cambodian court confirms jail for 2 journalists leaking army secrets

Jail for 2 journalists leaking military secrets confirmed in Cambodia

Mohan Sinha
28 Jun 2026, 15:56 GMT+10

Cambodia’s Supreme Court has confirmed the sentences of two journalists who were jailed last year for allegedly revealing military secrets during border clashes with Thailand.
Both journalists were sentenced to 14 years in prison last December after being found guilty of providing information to a foreign country that was harmful to national defense.
This year, Cambodia’s press freedom rating was lowered by the U.S.-based group Freedom House, which said that almost all independent media outlets in the country have shut down.

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia: Cambodia's Supreme Court has confirmed the sentences of two journalists who were jailed last year for allegedly revealing military secrets during border clashes with Thailand, according to their lawyer's office on June 25.

The two reporters, Phorn Sopheap, 39, and Pheap Pheara, 41, were working for the local news outlet TSP 68 TV Online.

Both journalists were sentenced to 14 years in prison by the Siem Reap Provincial Court last December after being found guilty of "providing a foreign country with information harmful to national defense" under Article 445 of Cambodia's Criminal Code.

They were arrested separately on July 31, 2025, after returning from an assignment in Oddar Meanchey province, which borders Thailand and was one of the areas where fighting took place last year.

They were accused of creating content that exposed Cambodia's military positions and strategies during the conflict.

Their sentences were later upheld by the Battambang Appeal Court in March, prompting them to file a final appeal to the Supreme Court. The decision made on June 25 can now only be changed by the king.

Cambodia has faced international criticism for arresting activists, environmental campaigners, and journalists, including an award-winning reporter who investigated corruption and online scam centers in the country.

This year, Cambodia's press freedom rating was lowered by the U.S.-based group Freedom House, which said that "almost all independent media outlets in the country have shut down."