Swedish justice minister Thomas BodstromPhoto by Sok Serey, RFA
Sakada Chun, VOA
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
13/01/2006
A Swedish justice high ranking official Friday visits human rights activist Kem Sokha who is detained in Prey Sar prison, on a fact finding mission about activists arrests.
Swedish justice minister Thomas Bodstrom told reporters outside the prison after seeing Mr. Kem Sokha that the Swedish government is worried about the Cambodian government arrest of peaceful activists who express their opinions.
He says that it is a matter of the whole situation, where many activists were arrested, which limits the freedom of speech. He says further that the whole situation affects the freedom of speech, and human rights, and going the wrong direction.
Mr. Bodstrom met with Prime Minister Hun Sen, Cambodian minister of justice, diplomats, and NGOs officials about these arrests. He says that the main purpose of what they discussed at their meetings was about the situation of people being arrested, and they (delegation) will concinue their dialogue with the governance of Cambodia and follow these cases seriously.
The European Union and the U.S. are following what happens in Cambodia.
Mr. Kem Sokha, Cambodian Center for Human Rights' (CCHR) director, his acting director, and other activists were imprisoned on defamation charges.
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