PHNOM PENH, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- A Cambodian court on Friday convicted Australian filmmaker James Ricketson of spying and sentenced him to six years in prison, according to a verdict.
Ricketson, 69, was arrested on June 3, 2017 in Phnom Penh while flying a drone illegally to capture images of a rally by the court-dissolved opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP).
He was charged with collecting information which could endanger Cambodia's national security with the intent to pass it on to foreign entities.
During the seven days of hearings ended Wednesday, Phnom Penh Municipal Court prosecutor Seang Sok presented the court a number of evidence against Ricketson including his emails to former CNRP leader Sam Rainsy on an anti-government strategy and his letter to then-Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull urging him to cancel Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen's visit to Australia, as well as his taking photos of Cambodian armed forces on duty.
The prosecutor said Ricketson's humanitarian work with poor children in Cambodia for over 20 years was just a front to disguise his gathering information on Cambodia's national security.
"The Phnom Penh Municipal Court decided to sentence James Ricketson to six years in prison from spying and collecting information that could jeopardize national security," said the verdict announced by Phnom Penh Municipal Court Presiding Judge Seng Leang.
The verdict said the convict will have a month to appeal the sentence.
Ricketson was taken from the prison to hear his verdict and he said in the courtroom that he still did not know which country he was supposed to be spying for.
