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| 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 |
Thursday, 27 September 2012
Chhay Channyda
The Phnom Penh Post
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.
3 comments:
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.
Most khmer leaders are married to the viet whores and wanted everything for the viet interests. Now, khmer nationalists want everything back for the innocent khmers. There are smart khmers and there dumb khmers. smart khmers wanted what is best for khmers. dumb khmers only think with their dicks. When khmer women married a the viet men, they are being adored and appreciated but if they are to be married to the dumb khmers, they are being kicked in the guts that is why most khmer women now like to be married to the foreigners....good on them, I say well done!
Both the commenters above. I think both of you should go out and get laid. Oh man..get a life!
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