Thursday, 27 September 2012
By Chhay Channyda
Phnom Penh Post 
Ek Sokunthy (C), a 42-year-old journalist for the Ta Prum weekly
newspaper in Ratanakkiri province, recovers after being attacked and
beaten on Tuesday, Sept. 25, at his home. Photograph supplied
Three men, including a disgraced former police officer, have been
accused of savagely beating a journalist in what is believed to be the
third instance this month of intimidation against reporters exposing
illegal logging in Ratanakkiri.
Ek Sokunthy, 42, a journalist for Ta Prum weekly newspaper, told the Post yesterday that he was beaten on the head and body with a pistol and wooden stick in Andong Meas district’s Malik commune. His wife, who had recently given birth to their first child, was pushed to the floor during the attack, which took place Tuesday.
Major Kim Vanna, of Ratanakkiri provincial of military police, said the alleged perpetrators, former Andong Meas police officer Nget Senghorn, and local residents Puth Hoeurn and “Thy”, have fled the area. The search for the suspects continues.
“They are illegal loggers, but I have never written of their case,” said Sokunthy. “I didn’t know the reason why they beat me because I always wrote stories favourable to authorities and am fearful now.”
Talav commune police chief Kim Savong said Senghorn is a former police officer who was expelled due to disciplinary issues.
While Sokunthy denied by phone to the Post yesterday any conflict over his reporting, or coverage beyond “positive provincial developments”, his editor at Ta Prum weekly said he published a story on illegal logging activity last month.
“After the death of the journalist [in Ratanakkiri], he also received a death threat from officials telling him to be careful,” said Phum Chesda. “They said, ‘Did you hear about the death? Do you want to follow? Do you want to continue your career here?’”
Sokunthy had received up to three death threats from Andong Meas district police and military police regarding his coverage of logging, Chesda said.
According to Chhay Thi of human rights group Adhoc, this is the third instance of intimidation against journalists involved in logging issues in Ratanakkiri province this month.
The first occurred in O’Yadav district when a group of journalists photographing illegal timber storage had their motorcycles damaged.
The second, and most severe, is the gruesome case of Hang Serei Oudom, who was found in the trunk of his car this month bludgeoned to death by an axe.
Ek Sokunthy, 42, a journalist for Ta Prum weekly newspaper, told the Post yesterday that he was beaten on the head and body with a pistol and wooden stick in Andong Meas district’s Malik commune. His wife, who had recently given birth to their first child, was pushed to the floor during the attack, which took place Tuesday.
Major Kim Vanna, of Ratanakkiri provincial of military police, said the alleged perpetrators, former Andong Meas police officer Nget Senghorn, and local residents Puth Hoeurn and “Thy”, have fled the area. The search for the suspects continues.
“They are illegal loggers, but I have never written of their case,” said Sokunthy. “I didn’t know the reason why they beat me because I always wrote stories favourable to authorities and am fearful now.”
Talav commune police chief Kim Savong said Senghorn is a former police officer who was expelled due to disciplinary issues.
While Sokunthy denied by phone to the Post yesterday any conflict over his reporting, or coverage beyond “positive provincial developments”, his editor at Ta Prum weekly said he published a story on illegal logging activity last month.
“After the death of the journalist [in Ratanakkiri], he also received a death threat from officials telling him to be careful,” said Phum Chesda. “They said, ‘Did you hear about the death? Do you want to follow? Do you want to continue your career here?’”
Sokunthy had received up to three death threats from Andong Meas district police and military police regarding his coverage of logging, Chesda said.
According to Chhay Thi of human rights group Adhoc, this is the third instance of intimidation against journalists involved in logging issues in Ratanakkiri province this month.
The first occurred in O’Yadav district when a group of journalists photographing illegal timber storage had their motorcycles damaged.
The second, and most severe, is the gruesome case of Hang Serei Oudom, who was found in the trunk of his car this month bludgeoned to death by an axe.
To contact the reporter on this story: Chhay Channyda at channyda.chhay@phnompenhpost.com
9 comments:
Anti-corruption's Law is still weak allow these corrupted officials do whatever they like...? They need to get rid of these corrupted officials.....Geeeeeee!
Yes you're right put these corrupted thugs in jail for good.These scambags of society were good for nothing but to put them in jail and throw away the keys.What happen to Mr strong man Hun cent,how come he didn't use his big stick to hit these scambags in the head? Its kinda get out of hand now in this regime of thugism running the country by using jungle's rule of law.
I don't blamed,
somes journalist are stupid, faked news, unreliable news, exaggerated news .,
Likes RFA , was discriminated against Viet's tourists in Bokor Mountian,,
khmer's governments, needs to sue RFA for improper attitudes..
it can damages tourists attraction for whole country
Stop crying Yuon discriminated against 8 millions khmers krom every day,they don't cry like you.
28 September 2012 1:28 AM, you must be Dumb Yuon who does dirty and illegal business to make profit and thinking like animals. You look like Sok Kong who is a dirty and ugly pig that thinks like animal, too, lives in Cambodia illegally and wants to be protected by Dumb Yuon slave Hun Sen who hurt his own people in Cambodia. You and Dumb Yuon Masters in Hanoi have brainwashed Dumb Yuon slave Hun Sen and other Yuon slaves and make them (Hun Sen and Yuon CPP dogs) to hurt their Khmer people. How evil and dirty, Dumb Yuon/Vietnamese dog eaters and you are??? LOL...
There are many Dumb Yuon CPP Dog supporters in Long Beach, CA, who are worried about their dirty and illegal businesses to have their living lifestyles. You, Dumb Yuon Dogs and Yuon CPP dogs and supporters are very stupid and evil.
28 September 2012 1:28 AM, you are in Sok Kong (Dumb Yuon bastard)'s dirty business. Sok Kong always looks to steal and does dirty business himself to make himself rich without thinking Cambodia/Srok Khmer belongs to him. He should pack his stuff and go back to Hanoi.
There are many very bad Yuon/Vietnamese bloggers on Ki-Media and Khmerization. Those dirty and hypocrite evil Yuon/Vietnamese bloggers on here are worried about losing ground and face. Yes, Yuon/Vietnamese folks are stupid to do bad things from the first places. That is why they deserved to be hated and be disgusted in this world. Yuon/Vietnamese (Yuon-Cambodian born) bloggers in Long Beach, CA are unbelievable and evil because they support CPP (Yuon/Vietnamese Masters' dirty plans to gain the Khmer territory for themselves) and they like to show off their dirty wealth and stupid businesses. American people will find out about how bad and dirty Yuon/Vietnamese refugees and folks in the U.S. including around the world.
why not? re-enforce immigration law's
to control viet populations in Cambodia.
ur mentality, so much hated..
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