Court Calls Kep Policeman in Land Case

By Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer
07 April 2008

A police official from the coastal town of Kep will answer questions in court Wednesday over his alleged role in a land dispute.

Pring Pov, whom rights groups say was tortured and confined in poor conditions after refusing to give land to a senior minister, said Monday he had been called in to court Wednesday.

The Asian Human Rights Commission has said Pring Pov had been forced to give land to then princess Marie Ranariddh, who is now divorced from Prince Norodom Ranariddh.

The Rights Commission has called for an investigation into the treatment of Pring Pov in police custody.

Police Assailed for Alleged Torture of Own [-Kep police chief: "...we called him in to educate him"]

Left: Marie (no longer Ranariddh) Eng; Right: Powerful police General Hok Lundy

By Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer
Original report from Washington
12 March 2008

The Hong Kong-based Asian Human Rights Commission demanded the release of a police officer in detention in the coastal town of Kep Tuesday, claiming he had been ill-treated and tortured for his role in a land dispute.

The Rights Commission said Tuesday Pring Pov had been forced to give land to then prince Marie Ranariddh, who is now divorced from Prince Norodom Ranariddh.

Police officials said they had detained Pring Pov by order of National Police Chief Hok Lundy.

"The land was owned by [Marie Ranariddh], and following the request of intervention on this land from her to [Hok Lundy], we called him in to educate him," said Kep Police Chief Ing Sam Ol.

The Rights Commission said Pring Pov "was confined to a windowless cell and shackled at night. Despite having wounds on his body, he has been denied access to medical treatment. While in detention he has been consistently pressurised to vacate the land on which his house stands."