Three human rights organizations issued a joint declaration, condemning Tuesday’s shooting death of a young man in Dangkao district, and calling for the immediate arrest of the primary suspect, a military policeman.
Khan Neang, 28, is still in hiding after he allegedly shot and killed Dith Piseth, 21, and wounded Chap Chamroeun, 22, after a truck Dith Piseth’s brother was driving passed through a mobile checkpoint without stopping at around 1:30 pm.
According to a statement Wednesday from Licadho, Adhoc and the Khmer Kampuchea Krom Human Rights Association, Khan Neang and other military policemen beat the two boys before shooting them from behind as they tried to flee on a motorbike.
Adhoc spokesman Chan Soveth said his investigation revealed that the military policemen beat the boys simply because they had approached the officers after the truck had passed and questioned why Khan Neang had thrown a rock at the truck.
“Afterward, when the boys zipped out of the area, the suspect shot them in the back,” Chan Soveth said.
The declaration said three other military policemen were involved in the altercation and soldier Tun Rin was named as having helped Khan Neang escape.
National Military Police Commander Sao Sokha said the shooting violated national laws and military guidelines. But he denied the victims were beaten and declined to say whether the perpetrators would be discharged, saying the court would decide their fate.
Chan Soveth accused the military police of being uncooperative with district police in their probe of the suspects’ identities. But Sao Sokha said his force would aid the police investigation.
“Such police harassment is a very serious violation of human rights,” Chan Soveth said. “They also abused their responsibilities.”