The US is considering downgrading Cambodia’s status on its global human trafficking watchdog list over handling of the alleged raid on a women’s shelter run by the NGO Afesip, an embassy official said Thursday.
Meanwhile, police released eight suspects in a separate sexual-exploitation investigation after an unidentified high-ranking official intervened in the probe, a municipal court prosecutor said Thursday.
A US Embassy spokesperson said the US government was considering demoting Cambodia to “Tier 3” from its current “Tier 2” status on the trafficking list, which could mean imposing sanctions on the country.
That would put Cambodia on par with, among others, Burma, Cuba, North Korea and Sudan, according to the US State Department’s 2004 trafficking report.
“There’s certainly been discussion” over downgrading Cambodia’s status, the spokesperson said. “But no decision has been made.”
US officials, and the European Union, have expressed concern over the alleged abduction of
The US has discussed downgrading Cambodia’s status on its global human trafficking watchdog list over handling of the alleged raid on a women’s shelter run by the NGO Afesip, an embassy official said Thursday.
Meanwhile, police released eight suspects in a separate sexual-exploitation investigation after an unidentified high-ranking official intervened in the probe, a municipal court prosecutor said Thursday.
A US Embassy spokesperson said the US government was considering demoting Cambodia to “Tier 3” from its current “Tier 2” status on the trafficking list, which could mean imposing sanctions on the country.
That would put Cambodia on par with, among others, Burma, Cuba, North Korea and Sudan, according to the US State Department’s 2004 trafficking report.
“There’s certainly been discussion over” downgrading Cambodia’s status, the spokesperson said. “But no decision has been made.”
US officials, and the European Union, have expressed concern over an alleged abduction of
Nguyen Try, 21, one of eight women lounging in front of the shop Thursday, corroborated with her employer’s story. “The guest forced me to take off” my clothes, she said.
Tuy Thy admitted that while some of his staff do prostitute themselves, they are forbidden to do so in his shop.
“My shop is clean,” he said, adding “Someone wants to blame my shop.”
Daun Penh district police Chief Phan Phon declined to comment on the raid, referring all questions to his deputy, Yim Socheat, who also declined to comment on the case.
Prosecutor Ouk Savuth said he would proceed with an investigation.
“I ordered the police to report all documents, and we will recharge again,” he said. “Our country’s rule of law is not strong.”
(Additional reporting by Wency Leung and Yun Samean)
