Cambodia teacher charged with royal insult

A Cambodian primary school principal has become the first person to be charged under a new lese majeste law after allegedly insulting King Norodom Sihamoni online.

Khean Navy, the principal at Ta Hou Primary School in Kampong Thom province, was charged on Sunday with breaching Article 437 of the recently amended Criminal Code, according to the Phnom Penh Post.

The article criminalises "insulting the King" through "speeches, gestures, writings, paintings or items that are affecting the dignity of individual person(s)."

If convicted, Navy faces five years in prison and between $US500 and $US2,500 in fines.

He was arrested after allegedly posting a comment on Facebook blaming the king for the dissolution of the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) and for land rights violations, the Post reported.

Yen Saren, the deputy police chief in Kampong Thom province, told the newspaper that Navy was sent to the provincial court on Sunday for questioning.

"He insulted the King in his comment, and he fully admitted his fault," Saren was quoted as saying.