Kem Ley Tribute Halted

Two Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) activists were reprimanded by local authorities for parading a large photograph of assassinated social and political activist Kem Ley through Kampong Cham city yesterday morning. The activists, Ouch Narong and Kin Sreyoun, were stopped by police for allegedly not having received permission to drive their cart around Kampong Cham, as it was adorned with the image of Mr. Ley, a much-beloved figure of Cambodian free speech who was gunned down in broad daylight in Phnom Penh on Sunday.

Police said the activists were disrupting traffic. As well as displaying the picture, the two women also made space on the cart where mourners could light incense and donate money in Mr. Ley’s memory. Both were forced to sign an agreement promising to not repeat their act of mourning by Kampong Cham authorities.

“We only stopped them and let them sign an agreement to not do that again,” Kampong Cham town deputy police chief Ros Sarath said, adding that if the women had asked permission to hold their memorial and received it from the city, they would have been protected by police. “They proceeded around with the picture across Kampong Cham into Boeung Kok market, causing chaos in the market and on public streets. What they did is against the law because they did not ask for permission to do so from the authority.

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