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STORY: Cambodia has sentenced 10 environmental activists to jail for up to 8 years for plotting against the government and insulting the king.

That’s according to the founder of the activist group, Mother Nature, and a lawyer on Tuesday (July 2).

The verdict comes amid growing concerns about freedom of expression in the country under Prime Minister Hun Manet.

Five of the defendants were arrested outside the court in capital city Phnom Penh immediately after the verdict.

As supporters dressed in white held placards reading, "Justice is Dead".

Activist Thon Rotha:

“The court charged us with plotting to overthrow the government or insulting the king etc. trying to do whatever to jail us. That is a big mistake, and not only affects the court’s system but it affects the new government that has young blood which we hoped would have democracy, respect human rights, freedom - but on the contrary, it showed us their fierce activity.”

Mother Nature has long campaigned against environmental destruction in Cambodia.

The group highlights deforestation, illegal sand mining and corruption in development projects.

The group’s founder, Spanish national Alejandro Gonzalez-Davidson who was sentenced in absentia, said he was one of three charged with infringing Cambodia’s lese majeste law.

He told Reuters that while the accusations of plotting against the state had not been clarified in court…

Three members were arrested after documenting suspected pollution run-off into a river in the capital in 2021.

The lese majeste charges relate to an internal Zoom meeting about political cartooning that was leaked.

New York-based group Human Rights Watch branded the verdict devastating.

The Cambodian government has previously denied the trial was politically motivated, saying it did not prosecute critics, only those who commit crimes.