Black Monday Protests Continue

Nearly 20 members of the Boeung Kak community continued the 25th week of Black Monday protests yesterday in front of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, demanding the release of political activists and rights workers and asking the court to provide justice to land-rights campaigners who were appearing in court. One Boeung Kak community land-rights campaigner who was attacked by Daun Penh district security forces in 2013 appeared in court yesterday in relation to charges brought by 11 campaigners accusing the forces of using intentional violence with aggravating circumstances.
 

Judge Lim Makaron issued a subpoena on October 7 to summon four of the campaigners to clarify their version of events of the incident that took place at the Wat Phnom roundabout on September 22, 2013. Community protesters had gathered to meditate and push authorities to expedite their land claims and also asked for the release of fellow campaigners, but were met with violence by local security forces who attacked them, injuring at least 11.
 

Four of the campaigners appeared at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court last week, while one appeared yesterday and another is due to appear today. Phan Chhunreth, a Boeung Kak resident whose head was injured in the attack, said she told the court what had transpired that day, but the judge asked for evidence of the use of violence despite her and other victims having attached evidence to their complaints already.

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