Labor Ministry Sues Union Officials

Labor Ministry officials have filed a complaint to the Phnom Penh Municipal Court accusing four union officials of public defamation, insulting public officers and blocking public roads. The court summoned all four to appear for questioning next week.

According to a summons issued by Municipal Court deputy prosecutor Srey Makny, Pav Sina, president of the Collective Union of Movement of Workers and three of his officials, Suth Chet, Tuy Vang and Mann Saban, are to appear in court on April 26 and 27 to answer questions about a complaint filed by the Labor Ministry in February. “The accused have to appear at the court on time and bring relevant documents with them if they have any,” Mr. Makny said.

Ung Channarith, director of the Legal Department of the Committees for the Settlement of Strikes and Demonstrations at the Labor Ministry, said yesterday that he sued the four men because they used “inappropriate words” when speaking to ministry officials during a protest against Cerie (Cambodia) Garment factory and Agile Sweater (Cambodia) factory. “We sued them because they used inappropriate words and insulted officials and Minister of Labor Ith Samheng by saying that the work civil servants do every day is useless. He said they are working for their own benefit, do not serve other people or the workers, and they accused the minister of being a useless person, which is an insult that we cannot accept,” Mr. Channarith said.

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