An activist supporting Cambodia’s banned opposition party has been detained on charges of violating forest protection laws, though his wife says the arrest was politically motivated.
Nem Nath was taken in by police in Pursat province on Thursday, his wife Srey Saoroth told RFA’s Khmer Service on Friday. She said the authorities unfairly targeted her husband because he supports the Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP), the main opposition of Prime Minister Hun Sen’s Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) until the Supreme Court dissolved the CNRP in 2017.
“He’s a CNRP supporter. He is known publicly for supporting them,” she said.
“[He] didn’t incite any villagers to commit any crimes. I want the court to release my husband because he is the bread winner. We can’t live without him,” she said.
Kem Kimsrun, the Pursat provincial coordinator for the Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights (LICADHO), confirmed the arrest, saying the case was definitely politically motivated because Nem Nath was not involved in any illegal encroachment on public land.
“The activist is with the CNRP and he refused to defect to the CPP. The arrest has put the family under undue hardship,” he said.