A construction worker from Stung Treng province will file a complaint to the provincial court today if he does not receive compensation from a provincial police officer who allegedly beat him last week, a rights worker said yesterday.

Ho Sam Ol, provincial monitor for rights group Adhoc, said that 30-year-old Say Pheakdey, son of deputy provincial police chief Colonel Keo Sakhorn, allegedly beat construction worker Taing Bunhean, 30, following a dispute in Stung Treng town last Tuesday.

“[Say Pheakdey] has [allegedly] beaten the victim and seriously wounded both of his eyes and his face. He has also handcuffed him and attempted to detain him without cause at the provincial police [station],” he said, adding that Taing Bunhean was demanding US$5,000 in compensation from Say Pheakdey.

“If there is no appropriate compensation payment for [Taing Bunhean] I will officially submit his lawsuit to the provincial court,” he said.

Neither Say Pheakdey nor Keo Sakhorn could be reached for comment yesterday. Provincial police chief Reach Sokhon also could not be reached.