By Momodu Favour

An appeal court in Cambodia has upheld 14-year prison sentences handed to two journalists convicted of treason over a controversial photo taken in a military-restricted zone along the country’s disputed border with Thailand.

The journalists, Pheap Phara and Phorn Sopheap, were arrested in July after posting an image on Facebook showing them with Cambodian soldiers at the Ta Krabei temple, a centuries-old site located on the contested frontier between the two nations.

According to the rights group LICADHO, Thai media outlets later republished the image, alleging it revealed unplaced landmines in the background—claims that intensified already fragile tensions between the neighboring countries.

The appeal court sitting in Battambang province dismissed the journalists’ challenge on Thursday, affirming the original December ruling that found them guilty of “supplying a foreign state with information prejudicial to national defence.”

Their lawyer was not immediately available for comment following the decision.

Reacting to the ruling, LICADHO warned that the case could have a chilling effect on journalism in Cambodia.

“This case affects journalism, especially the space of free press that will make journalists worry about their safety because of these convictions,” said Am Sam Ath, the group’s operations director.

Cambodia currently ranks 161st out of 180 countries on the World Press Freedom Index compiled by Reporters Without Borders, reflecting longstanding concerns about media freedom and government control.

The Cambodian government defended the court’s decision, stressing the importance of national security.

Information ministry spokesman Tep Asnarith described the case as “a lesson for journalists,” urging media practitioners to balance press freedom with responsibility and national interest.

“Freedom of the press must go hand in hand with responsibility before the law and the national interest,” he said in an official statement.

The case is unfolding against the backdrop of a decades-long territorial dispute between Cambodia and Thailand, which has periodically flared into violence.

Clashes last year resulted in dozens of deaths and displaced more than a million people during intense fighting in July and December.

Although both countries signed a ceasefire agreement in late December, tensions remain high, with each side accusing the other of violating the truce. Thailand has repeatedly alleged that Cambodia planted new landmines in disputed areas claims Phnom Penh has consistently denied.

Analysts say the upheld sentences could further strain Cambodia’s international reputation on press freedom while highlighting the sensitive nature of reporting in conflict zones.

For journalists operating in the region, the ruling underscores the growing risks associated with covering security-related issues, particularly in areas of ongoing territorial disputes.