Ten Kampong Speu Police Officers Assaulted a Man

On Janurary 31, 2010 at about 10:00 PM, a group of about ten police officers, led by a so-called Nak, seriously attacked a 20-year-old youngster, named Thorn Chanou for the accusation of attempted killing related to a dispute in 2008. The officers came in civil uniform to an area in Kakab village, Khsem Khsan commune, Oddongk district, Kampong Speu province when the victim was dancing in a village ceremony. When they arrived, one of them, called Nak, hit the man over the ground, and then some others started beating and kicking the victim on his chest, head and face without telling reason; but confirmed they received order from the court. However, the sommonds was not shown to the suspect at all.

According to the report by Mr. Um Chanthorn, the victim’s father, married to Mrs. Kol Sokny, 47, with 6 children, that day the officers were not wearing in police uniforms to arrest his son; nor did they show any arrest warrants from the court. They arrived only to immediately beat his son unexpectedly. When his son fell over, they started committing violence on him. When he asked for the reason why, they replied they got the order from the court to arrest him for a criminal offense, attempted killing.

Mr. Um Chanthorn, who lives in Ra village, Trach commune, Oddongk district, Kampong Speu, continued that the next morning February 1, 2010 he was called to the district police office. When he got in, his son was compelled to thumbprint to admit to his offense. In addition he was asked to give the police there for 3 million riels to have his son released, but he told he did not have such amount of money. After that his son was continually sent to the provincial police custody. At that place he was also demanded 5 million riels in order to free his son. By contrast, his wife Mrs. Kol Sokny, who also accompanied him that day, told to the police she would file a counter-complaint against the plaintiff’s party due to the reason that they had 3 people to fight with his son in the conflict in 2008. She would demand 3 million riels each from them.

According to local rights group Adhoc and Licadho, who investigated the case revealed that the case was related to an event on March 26, 2008. Mr. Thlork Longdy, 38, with 3 children, from Licadho said that based on his investigation with some witnesses; on March 26, 2008 there was also a traditional village ceremony in Ra village, Trach Chorng commune, Oddongk district, Kampong Speu province. That day Nou Chanthorn was dancing as Yong Soben, Mr. Mao Yong’s son and also the plaintiffs’ party, used his foot to kick the dust at his face. Nou Chanthorn asked him for the reason why, but he did not answer and made face at him instead. Sudddenly Nou Chanthorn got furious and hit him on the face. Seeing that two other brothers of Yong Soben came to help his brother, Yong Soben, to fight with Nou Chanthorn. At the mean time, village elders and two police officers there also wandered to break up. One of the polcemen pushed Nou Chanthorn away as someone else aimed his gun at him. Since then Nou Chanthorn has been sued for attempted killing, but the case had been kept without processing until he was captured.

At the moment he is trying to seek a lawyer to defend this case from International Bridge to Defend Victims for Justice.

However, relaterd to the above case, the police should not have committed violence on the suspect if they really got the arrest warrants from the court. On behalf of the judicial police officers they have to respect for the law, according to Code of Criminal Procedure of Cambodia. By constrast they do not only break the law on behalf of the authority, but they also violate the international human rights law; especially the Internatinal Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Disgrading Treatment or Purnishment.

According to Mr. Mr. Thlork Longdy, he had met the victim at the provincial prison and asked to thumbprint to accept a lawyer; and the case is under the legal procedure of the court.