CAMBODIA

Seven Cambodian activists have been handed jail sentences for treason over comments posted online supporting exiled opposition figure Sam Rainsy, their lawyer said Thursday, deepening the kingdom’s crackdown on dissent. Sam Rainsy has lived in France since 2015 to avoid prison for convictions he says are politically motivated. His attempted homecoming last November was thwarted by Prime Minister Hun Sen, who labelled it a “coup attempt”. Activists accused of posting supportive messages last year about Sam Rainsy’s return were sentenced on “charges of treason” in Tboung Khmum province, lawyer Sam Sokong said on Thursday. Four in hiding were sentenced to seven years in absentia, while another activist given the same sentence is already in prison. Two others who were given fiveyear suspended sentences have since defected to the ruling party. The United Nations says Cambodia has arrested 24 human rights campaigners since late July. Government spokesman Phay Siphan defended the government’s crackdown, saying the arrests were to “prevent chaos and to ensure order and regularity of people’s lives”.