Source: Radio Free Asia
Reported in English by Khmerization
Two Sam Rainsy Party (SRP) activists in Svay Rieng have been arrested by Svay Rieng police on charges of robbery.
Mr. Meas Kheng, vice-president of the SRP in Svay Rieng, told RFA on 20th September that on the 17th, 20 policemen had surrounded the houses of Mr. Pen Samorn, president of the SRP in Sambor commune and Mr. Prak Vanna, president of Romeang Tkol commune on charges of committing robbery on 16th September.
Mr. Meas Kheng said the two activists were arrested in suspicious circumstantces. "The reason they were arrested was because that night there was a robbery at the other end of the village and at 6 o'clock in the morning they surrounded their houses and arrested them. So, the arrests have been done before a warrant was issued because this issue must be under investigation first and why the police treated this case as if it is a criminal act that is beyond reasonable doubt and they arrested people who have never had any problems other than being the activists of the Sam Rainsy Party", he said.
Mr. Pach Rim, Police Commissioner of Svay Rieng province, said the police has evidence which indicated that Pen Samorn is linked to that robbery. But Mr. Prak Vanna's case is circumstantial and police just called him for an interview only, he said. "We arrested them the day before yesterday and we seized one AK-47 riffle for the robbery at Sambor. We have arrested him and he has confessed to the robbery of 5 chi of gold. We only arrested one person and all the other had been released. He was in possession of the gun and when we arrested him he confessed everything. We only arrested those who have directly linked to the robbery", he said.
Mrs. Prak Sophy, Mr. Pen Samorn's wife, said her husband is innocent. She said the police found the gun at a pond behind the house which she said had been planted there by someone or the police. "On 16th I slept with my husband the whole night until the morning and in the early morning I woke up and saw a lot of policemen surrounding my house. He had never done anything wrong. He always stay home and they just raided our house like that. We had done nothing wrong and they just come and raided our house and they found (a gun at the pond)", she said.
Mr. Yim Sovann, spokesman for the SRP, said he cannot comment on the matter as he had not received any information regarding the case.
Reported in English by Khmerization
Two Sam Rainsy Party (SRP) activists in Svay Rieng have been arrested by Svay Rieng police on charges of robbery.
Mr. Meas Kheng, vice-president of the SRP in Svay Rieng, told RFA on 20th September that on the 17th, 20 policemen had surrounded the houses of Mr. Pen Samorn, president of the SRP in Sambor commune and Mr. Prak Vanna, president of Romeang Tkol commune on charges of committing robbery on 16th September.
Mr. Meas Kheng said the two activists were arrested in suspicious circumstantces. "The reason they were arrested was because that night there was a robbery at the other end of the village and at 6 o'clock in the morning they surrounded their houses and arrested them. So, the arrests have been done before a warrant was issued because this issue must be under investigation first and why the police treated this case as if it is a criminal act that is beyond reasonable doubt and they arrested people who have never had any problems other than being the activists of the Sam Rainsy Party", he said.
Mr. Pach Rim, Police Commissioner of Svay Rieng province, said the police has evidence which indicated that Pen Samorn is linked to that robbery. But Mr. Prak Vanna's case is circumstantial and police just called him for an interview only, he said. "We arrested them the day before yesterday and we seized one AK-47 riffle for the robbery at Sambor. We have arrested him and he has confessed to the robbery of 5 chi of gold. We only arrested one person and all the other had been released. He was in possession of the gun and when we arrested him he confessed everything. We only arrested those who have directly linked to the robbery", he said.
Mrs. Prak Sophy, Mr. Pen Samorn's wife, said her husband is innocent. She said the police found the gun at a pond behind the house which she said had been planted there by someone or the police. "On 16th I slept with my husband the whole night until the morning and in the early morning I woke up and saw a lot of policemen surrounding my house. He had never done anything wrong. He always stay home and they just raided our house like that. We had done nothing wrong and they just come and raided our house and they found (a gun at the pond)", she said.
Mr. Yim Sovann, spokesman for the SRP, said he cannot comment on the matter as he had not received any information regarding the case.
1 comment:
This is political intimidation and victimization. This is a trumped-up charge. No evidence at all. anyone can just drop a gun near his house and accused him of robbery. i think police did the robbery themselves and try to find a scapegoat so they can get away scotch free.
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