Cambodian activists charged with insulting king on Facebook

Two Cambodian opposition figures have been charged under the country’s rarely used lese majeste law with insulting King Norodom Sihamoni for posts made on Facebook about a photograph of the king and Prime Minister Hun Sen.

A judge at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Wednesday also charged Yim Sinorn and Hun Kosal with incitement to cause serious social unrest in the country, a court document showed.

The men, once members of the now-dissolved opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), could face a jail term of up to five years and fines of up to $2,500 if found guilty.

They were arrested on Tuesday over their posts about a photograph of King Sihamoni and Hun Sen standing together at a torch relay ceremony for the upcoming Southeast Asian Games.

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