A senior Cambodian government official has sharply criticized police in Svay Rieng for allowing a female Vietnamese suspect to be displayed publicly in a humiliating manner, comparing the incident to recent allegations of abuse by Thai black-uniformed soldiers against Cambodian women.
Former information minister and member of the Supreme Consultative Council, Khieu Kanharith, wrote on Facebook that although the woman had clearly committed a crime, police still had a duty to protect her once she was in custody. He said turning her into what he called a public spectacle violated basic standards of conduct for national police.
Khieu Kanharith said law enforcement showed strong ability in recapturing six Vietnamese detainees who escaped during a court transfer on November 18. The group had been held on charges including drug offenses, illegal weapons possession, and human confinement. All six were arrested the same day after supporters attempted to break them out. Among them was the woman accused of helping facilitate the jailbreak.
Footage later circulated on social media showed officers mocking and physically handling her in ways widely viewed as degrading. The Ministry of Information has revoked the press licences of two reporters, Phat Heun and Khan Sarath, who filmed and shared the images. Both were questioned by the Svay Rieng police on Thursday.
In his post, Khieu Kanharith also criticized journalists who violated professional ethics, saying such actions revealed their lack of understanding of the responsibilities of the press.
Meanwhile, Prey Veng police chief Chea Bunchan defended the officers, writing online that the Vietnamese woman had supplied a firearm used by an accomplice who killed a police officer. He said police risked their lives to apprehend dangerous suspects, yet were now facing public criticism.
Chea Bunchan argued that the woman, whom he described as an accomplice to serious crime, was being reframed as a victim, while police officers were being unfairly attacked on social media. He said the officers did not commit the immoral acts they were accused of.
The incident has intensified debate over police conduct, media ethics, and the treatment of suspects in high-profile criminal cases.
