PHNOM PENH: The Phnom Penh Municipal Court has convicted nearly 60 people in connection to opposition leader Sam Rainsy's plans to return to Cambodia on 9 November 2019. All were convicted of incitement and conspiracy, with the court verdict announced on Tuesday morning, 14 June.

Activist, Seng Theary, who was convicted while protesting in front of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, was taken away by police immediately after the verdict was announced.

Seng Theary's lawyer, Choung Choungy, told reporters that he would continue to appeal to the court, as this morning's verdict sentenced Sam Rainsy and his accomplices of eight years to prison. Some were sentenced to six years in prison, some were given arrest warrants, and others were sentenced to five years in prison along with a suspension.

In 2019, opposition leader Sam Rainsy, while living abroad, plotted a failed plan to return to Cambodia on 9 November, inciting many to revolt against the government. The plan failed after the government conducted an investigation and arrested a number of people involved.