Phnom Penh: A Cambodian student was jailed for 18 months Tuesday over a Facebook post calling for a "colour revolution" in the country, a verdict criticised by rights groups.
Strongman Prime Minister Hun Sen has taken an increasingly hard line towards dissent in recent months, vowing to crack down particularly hard on criticisms via social media.
Kong Raiya, 25, an anti-government activist, was arrested last August over a post calling for "colour revolution" in the Southeast Asian nation, a term used to refer to a wave of anti-government mass movements in recent years, mainly in the former Soviet bloc.
He was convicted by Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Tuesday for incitement to commit a felony.
The student said he was not surprised by the ruling, but he denounced the judge's decision and vowed to appeal.
"It is not only unjust for me, but also for all Cambodian people," he told reporters in court.
Rights groups also criticised the ruling.
"It is a threat to those who want to make their voice heard" through social media, Am Sam Ath of local rights group Licadho told reporters.
"It makes it harder for the youth and students to express their opinions," he added.
While Hun Sen has railed against online criticism, he has become a late enthusiast of social media.
Earlier this year he launched a new mobile app and a website in an attempt to engage the public, especially young voters, many of whom support the opposition. He has also embraced Facebook.
While he has said he was open to constructive criticism, he has warned social media users who insult him that they can be easily traced.
A 25-year-old man was arrested and charged in January with issuing death threats to Hun Sen in a Facebook post.
A Cambodian opposition senator also faces up to 17 years in jail after a court charged him for posting a disputed document on Facebook about the border with Vietnam.
Hun Sen, one of the world's longest-ruling leaders, has been in power more than three decades and is regularly criticised by campaigners for stamping out dissent.
