A Cambodian reporter who exposed online scams and corruption was charged with a criminal offense that could land him in prison for two years for material he posted on social media.

A Cambodian court on Tuesday charged an investigative reporter known for exposing corruption and human trafficking, and whose arrest drew concern from rights groups and the U.S. government, with "inciting social unrest",

An award-winning journalist known for his investigative reports on human trafficking was arrested in Cambodia in a further blow to its press freedom, a journalists’ association said. Mech Dara was traveling with his family from the coastal city of Sihanoukville to the capital Phnom Penh when authorities stopped his car and arrested him,

Mech Dara, an award-winning Cambodian journalist who has reported extensively on human trafficking and corruption, has been arrested and charged with incitement. Dara, who has reported for the BBC, has been charged over five social media posts which could "incite social unrest",

The authorities did not give a reason for the action, but it came after the United States punished a tycoon for what it said was his role in the scam compounds.

Cambodian military police said on Tuesday they have arrested an award-winning reporter known for investigating local corruption, trafficking and online scam centres, prompting concern from a prominent human rights group and the United States.