Four inmates at Kompong Speu’s provincial prison attacked a guard on Wednesday, repeatedly punching him in the face, an official said Thursday.
Prison director Kak Savoun said the four men attacked the guard, Sat Sopheak, 25, as he let them out of their cell to go exercise.
“As soon as the guard opened the door, the prisoners surrounded him and tackled him to the ground,” Mr. Savoun said. “The prisoners claimed that they attacked him because the guard was cruel and verbally abused them.”
Mr. Savoun said that Mr. Sopheak received minor injuries—bruising and cuts to his face—and was treated by medical staff at the facility and filed a complaint with the provincial court Thursday.
Mr. Savoun said the prisoners would be punished, but declined to name them or reveal what penalty they would face.
Svay Chansitha, a prison researcher for rights group Licadho, said the four prisoners were all in their 20s, and that three—Sok Thou Rida, Khai Peakdey and Than Leng—had been imprisoned for intentional violence, while the fourth, Chum Seila, was imprisoned for theft accompanied by violence.
“We are still investigating to see what will happen to them,” Mr. Chansitha said.
