phnom penh cambodian court saturday charge two journalists espionage file news report u.s.-funded radio station carry prison term 15 years prime minister hun sen strongman rule cambodia three decades take strident anti-american line increasingly tense run-up 2018 election crackdown critics right group independent media unite state announce end fund election promise concrete step supreme court dissolve main opposition cambodia national rescue party cnrp thursday request government ground plot seize power party deny accusation two journalists uon chhin yeang sothearin past work washington-based radio free asia rfa broadcast khmer language shut september two charge provide information destructive national defense foreign state catch file stories rfa say ly sophana spokesman phnom penh municipal court send investigate judge procedures ly sophana tell reuters rfa say tie two journalists since shut phnom penh office september charge two former rfa journalists espionage cambodian authorities open door serious form intimidation worthy despots dictators rfa spokesman rohit mahajan say email comment lawyer two say charge serious merely job journalists dangerous country say lawyer keo vanny charge carry 15 years prison men convict say hun sen fight deepen war word u.s. embassy state department government crackdown opposition cnrp leader kem sokha arrest sept. charge treason allege plot take power u.s. help deny pot u.s. state department call friday cambodia release reverse decision ban party western countries decades support cambodia emergence war isolation show little appetite sanction response government crackdown european union raise possibility cambodia lose vital trade preferences cambodian court charge two journalists espionage