The 14 Cambodia's Kompong Speu province men arrested following the April 1 raid on an illicit drug production lab in Phnom Sruoch district have been released, though they have not been cleared of the charges against them, local media reported Monday.
The men were granted bail after an Aug. 27 appeal to Phnom Penh Municipal Court by provincial Governor Kang Heang, but the paperwork securing their release was only finalized Friday, Chan Soveth, investigator for the rights group Adhoc, was quoted by the Cambodia Daily as saying.
Adhoc transported the men by van from Prey Sar prison back to their families in Treng Trayoeng commune Saturday, Chan Soveth said.
Chan Soveth also appealed to the court to expedite the case of the 14, who claim they had only been employed for one hour prior to their arrest at the lab and had no knowledge of illegal activity.
On April 1, Cambodian police arrested 18 people during raids in Phnom Penh and Treng Trayoeng commune in Kompong Speu's Phnom Sruoch district, confiscating about 5.8 tons of precursor chemicals, which are technically estimated to be used for manufacturing one ton of methamphetamine.
Source: Xinhua
The men were granted bail after an Aug. 27 appeal to Phnom Penh Municipal Court by provincial Governor Kang Heang, but the paperwork securing their release was only finalized Friday, Chan Soveth, investigator for the rights group Adhoc, was quoted by the Cambodia Daily as saying.
Adhoc transported the men by van from Prey Sar prison back to their families in Treng Trayoeng commune Saturday, Chan Soveth said.
Chan Soveth also appealed to the court to expedite the case of the 14, who claim they had only been employed for one hour prior to their arrest at the lab and had no knowledge of illegal activity.
On April 1, Cambodian police arrested 18 people during raids in Phnom Penh and Treng Trayoeng commune in Kompong Speu's Phnom Sruoch district, confiscating about 5.8 tons of precursor chemicals, which are technically estimated to be used for manufacturing one ton of methamphetamine.
Source: Xinhua
