Prominent land rights activist Tep Vanny (L) gestures from a prison van in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on Aug. 8, 2017. The Appeal Court of Cambodia on Tuesday upheld the decision of a lower court to sentence prominent land rights activist Tep Vanny to two and a half years in prison for causing violence during a 2013 protest, according to a verdict. (Xinhua/Sovannara)
PHNOM PENH, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- The Appeal Court of Cambodia on Tuesday upheld the decision of a lower court to sentence prominent land rights activist Tep Vanny to two and a half years in prison for causing violence during a 2013 protest, according to a verdict.
"The Phnom Penh Municipal Court's judgment against Tep Vanny is correct, so the Appeal Court decides to uphold the judgment," Appeal Court's Presiding Judge Pol Sam Oeun said as he pronounced the verdict.
Outside the courthouse, about 40 of her fellow activists held a protest against the verdict and called for her release.
Vanny, 35, was arrested in September last year after two state security guards filed a complaint to the Phnom Penh Municipal Court against her, claiming that she pelted them with plastic bottles, soft drink cans and shoes during the protest.
On Feb. 23, 2017, the Phnom Penh Municipal Court convicted Vanny of causing intentional violence and sentenced her to two and a half years in jail.
Also, the court ordered her to compensate a total of 2,250 U.S. dollars to two state security guards whom she attacked during the protest outside Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen's mansion in Phnom Penh in March 2013.
