The Court of Appeal on Monday upheld the decision to sentence Kong Mas, a former Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) member, to serve a one-and-a-half year prison sentence after he was found guilty of insulting the government and inciting violence.
Court documents say the 32 year-old Mas created five Facebook accounts and used them to post offensive messages about government leaders from April to October 2018, in Phnom Penh.
Mas said outside the courtroom that he could not accept the decision, because although he pleaded guilty, his request for minimal punishment wasn’t granted. “I will talk to my lawyer and appeal to the Supreme Court,” he said.
Mas’ wife said the court did not give her husband justice because he hadn’t harmed society.
Former CNRP leaders Sam Rainsy, Ho Vann, and Kak Kuphea were sentenced to one year and eight months in prison as well for sharing content from Mas’ Facbeook page.
