Ten Cambodian environmental activists receive prison sentences of 6-8 years each

Associated Press

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Ten members of a Cambodian environmental activist group that campaigned against destructive infrastructure projects and alleged corruption have been sentenced to six years in prison on charges of conspiring against the state. Three of the members of the group Mother Nature Cambodia were also convicted on Tuesday of insulting Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni, for which they were sentenced to an additional two years in prison, giving them a total of eight years behind bars. Human rights groups have accused Cambodian authorities of trying the activists on politically motivated charges to silence their criticism of governmental policies. Cambodia’s government has long been accused of using the judicial system to persecute critics and political opponents.