LICADHO is concerned that Phnom Penh police may seek to arrest a representative of the Dey Krahorm community on unjustified allegations of stealing or damaging a mobile phone.

The community representative, a woman, was involved in an incident with a 7NG company security guard during a news media conference by the Dey Krahorm community this morning. The security guard approached the woman, who was standing several meters away from the media conference, and attempted to photograph her with his mobile phone. The woman brushed the security guard's hand away, trying to prevent him from photographing her, and the phone fell to the floor. The security guard then left the area, without picking up his telephone, and made a complaint to local police that the woman had stolen his phone. The phone was later given to the police by Dey Krahorm community members.

Police took the woman to the Sangkat Tonle Basaac police station for questioning, which prompted a large crowd of Dey Krahorm villagers to gather outside the police station to seek her release. At one point, the police instructed the woman to go outside of the police station and to tell the gathered villagers to leave the area. The woman left the police station and, surrounded by villagers, fell unconscious from shock and heat. She was carried back to her home by villagers.

Police later stated that the woman had fled the police station without their permission and that they would be seeking a warrant from Phnom Penh Court for her arrest on charges relating to the security guard's mobile phone.

LICADHO believes that there is no evidence that the community representative intended to steal or to damage the security guard's mobile phone, and as such there is no justification for her arrest. The Dey Krahorm community has been subjected to repeated acts of intimidation or violence in the past weeks, and the security guard's attempt to photograph the representative should be seen in that light.

LICADHO urges the Phnom Penh police and court authorities to respect the law and not to make any arrest without sufficient evidence of a crime having been committed.

For more information, please contact:
▪ Am Sam Ath, Monitoring Technical Supervisor, 012-327-770 Chheng Sophors, Investigator, 012-879-795

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