Cambodian police in new protest crackdown
Cambodian police broke up a rally in the capital on Tuesday and briefly detained 11 activists who were calling for international assistance to secure the release of protesters arrested in a recent crackdown.
The detentions came as the country’s main opposition party called off a planned gathering near Phnom Penh due to security fears. …
Several prominent campaigners, including a union leader, were among those detained as they tried to petition Western embassies for help in the case of 23 protesters arrested during a deadly crackdown on striking garment workers earlier this month, activists said.
The 11 activists were released several hours later after putting their thumbprints on police documents promising not to hold “illegal demonstrations” in the future, said Rong Chhun, president of the Cambodian Confederation of Unions. …
The 23 people detained in connection with the unrest are being held at a prison near the border with Vietnam on charges linked to the incident, according to local rights activists.
The government says the recent rallies were illegal and has indefinitely banned opposition demonstrations in the capital. …
Channel News Asia News Staff
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asiapacific/cambodian-police-in-new/962534.html
