Activists organizing a protest march to the Phnom Penh headquarters of the Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) say they will continue with their plans despite City Hall’s decision on Thursday to reject their request.
The activists hope to get some 2,000 people to march on the ACU on Saturday to demand the release of four rights workers and an election official who were jailed this week as a results of the unit’s investigation into a sex scandal involving CNRP Vice President Kem Sokha.
Mean Chanyada, the City Hall’s chief of administration, said municipal officials had met with five of the activists on Thursday and rejected their request to march along Norodom Boulevard from Wat Phnom to the ACU because of a concurrent bicycle event to mark Europe Day.
“When more than 4,000 cyclists meet more than 2,000 protesters, it will affect public order and cause traffic jams,” he said.
Kem Sarann, one of the organizers of the march, said they would ignore City Hall’s decision. “We know we will have a confrontation with authorities, but we need to do it,” he said.
