Chhay Channyda

Four children were removed yesterday from Bethel Children’s Home of Cambodia and the centre’s director was arrested in Chhbar Ampov following a complaint alleging child abuse and neglect, including forced labour and sexually inappropriate conduct.

Em Chanmakara, a secretary general of the Disability Action Council at the Ministry of Social Affairs, said three boys and one girl, between 5 and 10, were removed from the home in response to a complaint made by Chloe Flanagan, a donor and the founder of the centre, which opened in 2014.

The document states that director Soy Srey On, 23 – who was arrested – and her boyfriend, Ung Sras, 24, neglected the children’s hygiene and hit children with sticks, including a child who is mentally and physically disabled.

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read more: http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/child-centres-chief-arrested

Centre head denies child abuse

Thu, 25 June 2015

Chhay Channyda

The director of a children’s centre who was arrested on Tuesday based on complaints from the NGO’s principal donor yesterday denied the accusations of forced labour and child abuse that led to her detention, and maintained that her accuser was actually at fault.

Soy Srey On, 23, said in an interview from the Chbar Ampov district police station that donor Chloe Flanagan had hit her because she was angry that Srey On tried to stop her and her boyfriend from staying at the centre on a visit to Cambodia.

“They come home each night in a drunken manner. She hit me with a book on my head last week,” Srey On said.

read more: http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/centre-head-denies-child-abuse

NGO boss out on lack of evidence

Fri, 26 June 2015

Chhay Channyda

The director of a Phnom Penh children’s NGO arrested over allegations of abuse was released from police custody on Wednesday due to a lack of evidence, police said yesterday.

Mao Soeuth, deputy police chief in Chbar Ampov district, confirmed that Soy Srey On, 23, director of Bethel Children’s Home of Cambodia, was “released and returned home”.

Another district police officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Srey On “has been put under police monitoring”, but was released because there was “no evidence”.

read more: http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/ngo-boss-out-lack-evidence