Left to right: Phong Pros, Oy Dyna and Chhan Panha. Photo from their Facebook page and supplied.

The Phnom Penh Appeal Court upheld three separate convictions Tuesday morning related to offenses stemming from online commentary about the country’s political leadership, the ongoing Thai border conflict, and other social issues.

Oy Dina, a 20-year-old coconut seller, was arrested in March 2025 by plainclothes police officers in Phnom Penh. She was convicted by the Phnom Penh Capital Court in September 2025 on charges of insult and incitement under Articles 494, 495, and 502 of the Criminal Code. The court handed her an 18-month prison sentence and a 2 million riel fine (around $500 USD) for critical comments she made online about the Cambodian government.

Soeurn Chanden, a 33-year-old staffer at a private company in Kratie, was convicted for incitement under Articles 494 and 495 of the Criminal Code, and sentenced to 18 months in prison and ordered to pay a fine of 2 million riel. Chanden had posted critical comments on Facebook about the conflict with Thailand and Cambodian government leaders. He is being held at Correctional Center 1 (CC1) in Phnom Penh.

Lastly, Phong Pros, a Candlelight Party activist and former commune election candidate, was arrested in January 2025 after he commented on the assassination of former opposition politician Lim Kimya in Bangkok, Thailand. Chhan Panha, a 42-year-old opposition supporter, was arrested in February 2025 for Facebook comments about a canal project and regional trade pact. They were both convicted on incitement charges, and each was handed an 18-month prison sentence and a $500 fine. They are both being detained at CC1 in Phnom Penh.

These three cases illustrate the ongoing suppression of everyday Cambodians’ freedom of expression. Dyna, Pros, and Panha are featured on LICADHO’s Prisoners of Interest page.