An American photographer was arrested and detained for about four hours on Tuesday after drawing the ire of police deployed near the CNRP’s headquarters in Phnom Penh.
Lou Rabou, deputy chief of the municipal immigration police, confirmed the arrest of James Mizerski, 75, but declined to answer questions about his detention.
Mr. Mizerski, who regularly takes photographs of events in the capital for his eponymously named website, said he approached and started photographing a large group of police officers near the opposition party’s headquarters in Meanchey district shortly after 1 p.m.
“They told me to stop, I asked ‘why?’ and started to leave, but they stopped me from leaving,” he said.
Minutes later, an immigration police official arrived and “invited” him to be questioned at a police station, he said. “I declined the invitation numerous times.
So he said, ‘Well I arrest you,’ then forced me into an SUV and drove me to the immigration office on Street 158,” he said.
Mr. Mizerski said he was released at about 5:15 p.m. after signing a contract promising not to break the law in the future.
He added that police refused to explain why he was arrested.
