17 May 2008By Mom Sophon
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
Click here to read the original article in Khmer
One NRP activist in Banteay Dek commune, Kien Svay district, Kandal province, was found dead on a road in the commune today.
A high ranking NRP official indicated in the morning of 17 May that the death of the activist was a political murder and that a CPP official is suspected of involvement in the case because, in the past, he used to issue threats. However, the police claimed that the death was due to a fainting spell.
Muth Chantha, NRP spokesman, said that 47-year-old Sok Run lived in Kandal Leu village, Banteay Dek commune, Kien Svay district, and he is a NRP party activist. One day, prior to his death, he walked around to call on party members to come for a meeting.
Muth Chantha said: “He received threat from a CPP activist who forced him to resign from the NRP and join the CPP. The NRP considers this case as a political murder because the victim died while accomplishing his mission to gather activists to come to a meeting this morning. We regret about this mishap on our activist.”
Pa Sam It, a police inspector for Kien Svay district, indicated that a group of experts determined that the death was due to a fainting spell.
Pa Sam It said: “In our province, I visited the incident location, there was no sign of injury, but he was scratched (koas khyal), and on his ear, it looks like a hacking mark. Based on investigation expert team which included a doctor, the evaluation was that he (the victim) had a fainting spell because there is nothing to indicate that Brother Mean beat him up, he (Mean?) went to live in Kien (Svay), there was no fighting, where is the proof?”
An investigator for the Licadho human rights group indicated that in the past few months, the number of murder on political activists has increased, and these murders were committed against SRP activist in Siem Reap, HRP activist in Takeo, NRP activist in Svay Rieng and the latest NRP activist murder in Kien Svay.
Am Sam Ath, the Licadho investigator, said: “On the body (of the victim), we found a bruise on his chest, and on his right side, it looks like beating marks, he was bleeding from his mouth and ear. Near the body, we found sign of fighting along about 40-meter and there was track of the body being dragged over to be dumped next to a fence, next to the entrance of a house. Licadho, as well as other civil society organizations, we are very concerned about the violence which took place prior to the upcoming election, because this could affect the upcoming election campaign.”
Am Sam Ath indicated also that his group is continuing its research and gathering evidence in this murder case, and he also called on the police to continue its research to find the murderer also.
A high ranking NRP official indicated in the morning of 17 May that the death of the activist was a political murder and that a CPP official is suspected of involvement in the case because, in the past, he used to issue threats. However, the police claimed that the death was due to a fainting spell.
Muth Chantha, NRP spokesman, said that 47-year-old Sok Run lived in Kandal Leu village, Banteay Dek commune, Kien Svay district, and he is a NRP party activist. One day, prior to his death, he walked around to call on party members to come for a meeting.
Muth Chantha said: “He received threat from a CPP activist who forced him to resign from the NRP and join the CPP. The NRP considers this case as a political murder because the victim died while accomplishing his mission to gather activists to come to a meeting this morning. We regret about this mishap on our activist.”
Pa Sam It, a police inspector for Kien Svay district, indicated that a group of experts determined that the death was due to a fainting spell.
Pa Sam It said: “In our province, I visited the incident location, there was no sign of injury, but he was scratched (koas khyal), and on his ear, it looks like a hacking mark. Based on investigation expert team which included a doctor, the evaluation was that he (the victim) had a fainting spell because there is nothing to indicate that Brother Mean beat him up, he (Mean?) went to live in Kien (Svay), there was no fighting, where is the proof?”
An investigator for the Licadho human rights group indicated that in the past few months, the number of murder on political activists has increased, and these murders were committed against SRP activist in Siem Reap, HRP activist in Takeo, NRP activist in Svay Rieng and the latest NRP activist murder in Kien Svay.
Am Sam Ath, the Licadho investigator, said: “On the body (of the victim), we found a bruise on his chest, and on his right side, it looks like beating marks, he was bleeding from his mouth and ear. Near the body, we found sign of fighting along about 40-meter and there was track of the body being dragged over to be dumped next to a fence, next to the entrance of a house. Licadho, as well as other civil society organizations, we are very concerned about the violence which took place prior to the upcoming election, because this could affect the upcoming election campaign.”
Am Sam Ath indicated also that his group is continuing its research and gathering evidence in this murder case, and he also called on the police to continue its research to find the murderer also.
