Khmer Times/May Titthara Tuesday, 24 May 2016
An opposition official in Kampot was arrested yesterday evening over his involvement in collecting thumbprints for a Royal petition calling for the release of detained human rights officials and politicians in the Kingdom.
Trapeang Phleang commune council-member Doung Pon of Chhuk district was arrested and sent to the district police office after undergoing questioning at the commune police station earlier in the day.
Before he was detained, Mr. Pon spoke to Khmer Times via telephone.
He explained his role in the petition, saying he had acted on a request from his superiors in the Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP) to collect 60 thumbprints from activists living in his community, actions that had already been cleared with local police.
Mr. Pon said he had nearly finished after travelling to six villages within his commune when police started to call him yesterday morning.
He said police called his home five times, asking him to appear at the commune police office for questioning. When he ignored these requests at the behest of his CNRP superiors, he said police told him he would be escorted to the police office by officers at 5pm, which ultimately he was.
“I’m sad and do not know what the decision is. I did not go for questioning because my superiors told me not to go. I am at a low level so I follow the top level,” he said at the time.
“When they come to bring me to the commune police office, I don’t know what will happen to me.”
He added that the petition signatures were collected for the release of detained Adhoc and National Election Committee officials who have been indicted in connection with opposition leader Kem Sokha’s alleged sex scandal. Many believe the indictments to be an attempt to silence critics of the government and signatures in their support are being collected by the CNRP throughout the country.
Chhuk district police Chief Samrith Sela Vibol could not be reached for comment yesterday.
On May 19, police arrested two CNRP activists, Lanh Leang and Pon Sovanara, in Kampong Thom’s Prasat Balang district for collecting thumbprints on the same petition.
CNRP spokesman Yim Sovann said the campaign to collect thumbprints and push for the release of the detained officials was meant to draw the attention of the King as well as the international community to the political nature of their persecution.
“Although they have been detained for interrogation, they should be released and should ask the court what their detention is based on, which law is it? This campaign is an expression of the freedom of citizens. Those thumbprints were collected without compulsion,” Mr. Sovann said.
On April 28, 53 CNRP members submitted a letter to King Norodom Sihamoni over the country’s political instability. It asked the King to intervene and bring balance to the political landscape.
An opposition official in Kampot was arrested yesterday evening over his involvement in collecting thumbprints for a Royal petition calling for the release of detained human rights officials and politicians in the Kingdom.
Trapeang Phleang commune council-member Doung Pon of Chhuk district was arrested and sent to the district police office after undergoing questioning at the commune police station earlier in the day.
Before he was detained, Mr. Pon spoke to Khmer Times via telephone.
He explained his role in the petition, saying he had acted on a request from his superiors in the Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP) to collect 60 thumbprints from activists living in his community, actions that had already been cleared with local police.
Mr. Pon said he had nearly finished after travelling to six villages within his commune when police started to call him yesterday morning.
He said police called his home five times, asking him to appear at the commune police office for questioning. When he ignored these requests at the behest of his CNRP superiors, he said police told him he would be escorted to the police office by officers at 5pm, which ultimately he was.
“I’m sad and do not know what the decision is. I did not go for questioning because my superiors told me not to go. I am at a low level so I follow the top level,” he said at the time.
“When they come to bring me to the commune police office, I don’t know what will happen to me.”
He added that the petition signatures were collected for the release of detained Adhoc and National Election Committee officials who have been indicted in connection with opposition leader Kem Sokha’s alleged sex scandal. Many believe the indictments to be an attempt to silence critics of the government and signatures in their support are being collected by the CNRP throughout the country.
Chhuk district police Chief Samrith Sela Vibol could not be reached for comment yesterday.
On May 19, police arrested two CNRP activists, Lanh Leang and Pon Sovanara, in Kampong Thom’s Prasat Balang district for collecting thumbprints on the same petition.
CNRP spokesman Yim Sovann said the campaign to collect thumbprints and push for the release of the detained officials was meant to draw the attention of the King as well as the international community to the political nature of their persecution.
“Although they have been detained for interrogation, they should be released and should ask the court what their detention is based on, which law is it? This campaign is an expression of the freedom of citizens. Those thumbprints were collected without compulsion,” Mr. Sovann said.
On April 28, 53 CNRP members submitted a letter to King Norodom Sihamoni over the country’s political instability. It asked the King to intervene and bring balance to the political landscape.
