A 16-year-old autistic boy was arrested for criticizing the government in a Telegram group in a case highlighting the rapid deterioration of freedom of expression in Cambodia.
A discussion about politics and memes poking fun at political leaders in a group chat is usually a low-engagement affair between friends, except when it happens in Cambodia.
The dangers of expressing political frustrations online in an authoritarian context were highlighted this week when a 16-year-old boy with autism spectrum disorder was sentenced to juvenile prison on Monday, for content he said on social media and messaging apps.
The boy has been in jail since his arrest on the 24th of June. He’ll have served over four months of his sentence when he is due to be released this month. The remainder of his sentence is suspended, but it’s understood that the boy will remain on probation for two years, reports the Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights (LICADHO).
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