About 90 villagers continued to demonstrate outside the Kompong Chhnang provincial court Wednesday, calling for the release of two men from prison and protesting the summoning of another eight over clashes last month with workers from the powerful KDC company.
The rally came after about 200 people, including some monks, marched the 30 km from Kompong Tralach district’s Lor Peang village to the court on Tuesday, with many staying overnight at a pagoda in the city.
Those who stayed, however, were met outside the court by about 100 police and military police, said Khat Saroeun, whose husband, Seang Heng, is imprisoned on charges of destruction of property and causing injury.
“We will not leave the court until we have a solution,” Ms. Saroeun said, adding that they planned to continue protesting Thursday.
Provincial Governor Chhou Chandoeun said the court would not have charged the men or summoned the other eight if there had been no wrongdoing.
“The protest is not right because these people do not have any evidence to prove they own the land,” he said.