|
Chhim Sithar, president of Labor Rights Supported Union of Khmer
Employees of NagaWorld (LRSU), was arrested as she stepped out
of her car to join the strike, witnesses said.
"It's a brutal arrest against such a young brave lady," Chak
Sopheap, executive director of Cambodian Center for Human Rights
(CCHR), told Reuters.
On Monday, 15 workers were picked up in addition to nine
detained on New Year's Day who have been charged with
endangering social security.
In a tweet on Tuesday, the U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh said it
was concerned by attempts to suppress the protests.
"We are following closely the troubling arrests of
@NagaWorld union members for their peaceful expression and urge
authorities to hear citizens, not silence them. Freedoms of
speech, assembly & association are guaranteed in the Cambodian
constitution."
Phnom Penh police have named Chhim Sithar as the ringleader of
the strike and accused her of ties to foreign organisations
trying to destabilise the casino operations, the biggest in the
country.
Police have previously said the strike is illegal and urged the
workers to end the agitation.
The company says that it was implementing a "mutual separation
plan" for employees as part of efforts to improve cost
efficiency because of disruptions caused by COVID-19.
(Reporting by Prak Chan Thul; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani)
[© 2022 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.]
|
|
