Woman Injured by Security Forces During Peaceful Protest
Published on 4 September 2020
A 49-year-old woman was rushed to hospital this morning after being hurled to the ground by district security guards while peacefully calling for the release of her imprisoned husband.
Seng Chanthorn, the wife of former Kampong Thom provincial council member and Cambodian Independent Teachers’ Association unionist Sun Thon, was blocked by Prampi Makara security guards from publicly demonstrating outside the Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Friday morning alongside a group of wives and relatives of members of the forcibly dissolved opposition party. As a number of security guards grappled with the women, one guard violently threw Chanthorn to the road. She was taken to Khmer-Soviet Friendship Hospital for treatment and further tests.
Chanthorn’s husband was imprisoned in early June on charges of conspiracy, incitement to commit a felony and inciting military personnel to disobedience. Some of the charges relate to actions allegedly committed as far back as July 2018.
Since early June, family of the imprisoned former opposition members have been dragged, kicked and assaulted during the course of peaceful demonstrations calling for their release. 23 former members of the banned Cambodia National Rescue Party remain behind bars.
MP3 format: Listen to audio version in Khmer
