Australian arrested at Cambodian rally convicted of spying
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia — An Australian filmmaker arrested after flying a drone to photograph a Cambodian opposition party rally last year was convicted of spying and sentenced to six years in prison Friday.
James Ricketson had faced up to 10 years in prison. Almost two dozen jailed critics or opponents of Prime Minister Hun Sen’s government had been freed in recent weeks following a sweeping ruling party election victory, which had raised hopes of leniency in Ricketson’s case.
Ricketson has been detained without bail since his arrest in June last year.
Prosecutors have indicated he was suspected of working with the opposition party or had worked directly for a foreign power, though that country was never specified in court. The charge against him, endangering national security, was tantamount in legal terms to espionage.