A Phnom Penh court has sentenced an opposition politician to two years in prison and fined him 4 million riel (about $1,000) for social media posts criticising senior government leaders over the Cambodia-Thailand border dispute.

Presiding Judge Rem Sopheak delivered the verdict today, convicting Khoeun Virath, 35, the Prey Veng provincial chief of the opposition Nation Power Party, on charges of incitement to commit a felony and public insult under Articles 494, 495 and 502 of the Criminal Code.

Virath was arrested on April 7 by municipal internal security police.

During his trial on September 8, the court heard that Virath used Facebook to accuse Senate President Hun Sen and Prime Minister Hun Manet of mishandling border issues, alleging they were responsible for armed confrontations with Thai forces and failures to protect territorial integrity.

The court rejected the claims as false and fabricated, ruling that the online commentary threatened national security and public order.

Virath maintained his innocence throughout proceedings, arguing that his posts constituted legitimate political criticism rather than criminal incitement. His defence lawyer, Son Chumchuon, also highlighted Virath’s ongoing health issues, noting chronic conditions including hypertension, diabetes and kidney disease.

Virath has a history of political activism, having previously served as a commune councillor in 2022 and completed a separate two-year prison sentence in March 2025 related to political party registration documents.