PHNOM PENH, Jan. 30 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected a request for the release on bail of Australian filmmaker James Ricketson, who was arrested in June last year on the charges of espionage, according to a verdict.
"The Supreme Court denies bail for James Ricketson and decides to uphold the Appeal Court's decision to detain him," Supreme Court's Judge Soeung Panhavuth said as he pronounced the verdict, adding that the Appeal Court's decision was in accordance with the law.
The verdict explained that as the case was under an investigation, Ricketson's presence in a pre-trial detention was essential.
Ricketson, 68, was arrested in Phnom Penh on June 3 last year by local authorities when he was flying a camera-toting drone without authorization at a rally organized by then-opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party.
He was charged with collecting information which could undermine Cambodia's national security with the intent to pass it on to a foreign entity. Under the charges, he could be jailed between five and 10 years if convicted.
