A Kampong Speu prison guard filed a complaint yesterday against four inmates for allegedly beating him following a verbal dispute.

Kak Savun, the provincial prison chief, confirmed the dispute, saying “it did not cause a serious injury, but we called police for taking notes and filed the complaint with the court”.

According to rights group Licadho, the confrontation began Wednesday when Phat Sophak, a 25-year-old who recently started working at the prison, locked the door leading to the exercise area.

“Based on inquiries, they had the verbal argument on the evening of January 21, and the next morning, the four prisoners ganged up to beat the officer on his face slightly,” said Svay Chan Sitha, provincial investigator for Licadho.

“We went down to ask if there was fear that [guards] would torture prisoners in return, but the prison chief said what happened is not big.”

Contact information for Sophak was not available.

According to Licadho, the four inmates are in their 20s and had been in prison for more than one year of 17-year sentences for theft. They have all filed appeals.