"Another Court Order Issued To Boeung Tamok Residents Over Canal Excavation Incident", 17 July 2024

Nine Boeung Tamok residents received another court order … from the Phnom Penh Municipal Court for intentional violence and “crimes against public officials” in connection with an incident involving canal excavation .... A few of the residents have received several court orders for different issues.

A document …, which … stated that Investigating Judge Chhe Vivattanak ordered each of the nine Boeung Tamok residents to appear in court in a consecutive manner between July 24 and August 6, 2024.

The intentional violence charge, in relation to the “use of gasoline to burn nets” resulting in injury, and the “crimes against public officials” allegedly occurred in Boeung Tamok and Samrong Tbong village, Samrong commune, Prek Pnov district in Phnom Penh…

Resident Kong Toeur who received the order said this was her fourth court warrant. She said it was unfair to her and her teenage daughter who did not commit any offense, but received yet another court warrant.

“It is very unfair because my daughter, who was sleeping in a hammock [on the day of the incident], was also sued.” She added, “I ask them; what did we do to them? We only told them that we want to live decently like others.”

… Seang Muy Lai, Sahmakum Teang Tnaut organization’s Right to the City program manager, said the latest court order was the seventh for Samrong Tbong community residents. He felt that the lack of appropriate solutions to the people and use of the court system was unfortunate as it did not solve the problem and caused additional burden on the people…