Phnom Penh Aug 31 (IANS) A Cambodian court on Friday convicted Australian filmmaker James Ricketson of spying and sentenced him to six years in prison.
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) Xinhua news agency reported.
He was charged with collecting information which could endanger Cambodia s national security with the intent to pass it on to foreign entities.
Evidences against Ricketson included his emails to former CNRP leader Sam Rainsy on an anti-government strategy. His letter to then-Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull urging him to cancel Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen s visit to Australia.
He had also taken photos of the 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 verdict said the convict will have a month to appeal the sentence.
Ricketson said he still did not know which country he was supposed to be spying for.

--IANS in/