A 28-year-old man arrested on Friday for allegedly threatening and insulting Prime Minister Hun Sen saw his case transferred from Phnom Penh to the Kampong Thom Provincial Court, a provincial prison official said yesterday.

Thean Chhorvoan, director of Kompong Thom Provincial Prison, confirmed that Man Sam Orn, a native of Kampong Thom’s Stung Sen town, had been transferred into his custody after being charged at the court there.

“He was charged yesterday with death threats and insults by the provincial investigating judge and sent to the prison yesterday . . . Now he is in the provincial prison,” Chhorvoan said.

According to a screenshot circulated on social media, an account allegedly linked to Sam Orn posted in the comments section of a post by the premier that “7 January is the date of your death” and that the premier’s “eye was blind because of stealing guava to eat”.

Hun Sen in recent months has become a prolific user of Facebook, but has also warned users that those who insult him personally could face arrest.