Rights Groups Condemn Shooting by Police

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.”

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