Preah Sihanouk: - Two Taiwanese nationals, Chen Neng Chuan (31) and Lu Tsu Hsien (34), were sentenced to two years in prison each and fined 4 million riel (approximately $1,000 USD) by the Preah Sihanouk Provincial Court for "incitement to cause serious disturbance to social security."
The charges stemmed from a series of videos filmed in Sihanoukville on February 12 and 13, 2024, which depicted the men being arrested, beaten, and chased by security guards. The videos, livestreamed on their Facebook account "WA AN XIAO JI," were found to be staged and intended to create exaggerated scenes of human trafficking, detention, torture, and violence.
According to court documents, the men entered Cambodia with the specific intent of producing these fabricated videos. Their actions were deemed to have caused unnecessary fear and panic among the public, thereby constituting a threat to social security.
The Preah Sihanouk Provincial Prosecutor's Office presented evidence, including the videos themselves and witness testimonies, which led to the charges against Chen and Lu. The trial was held on February 15, 2024, and the verdict was announced the same day.
The sentences were based on Articles 494 and 495 of the Cambodian Penal Code, which deal with offenses that endanger public safety and cause social disorder.