Seven Borei Keila community activists were summonsed to Phnom Penh Municipal Court yesterday to back up a complaint they filed accusing high-ranking Prampi Makara district officials of assault for their role in the violent dispersal of demonstrators in February.

The complaint, filed on March 18, alleges that district governor Som Sovann, deputy governor Lim Sophea and district security chief Prak Hak – along with some 30 security guards – were guilty of committing intentional acts of violence by forcibly evicting a group of housing evictees that had occupied an unfinished building at their designated relocation site.

According to activist Has Sok Chenda, who is one of the plaintiffs, the court asked the group to provide any incriminating evidence they might have in their possession.

“The court told us . . . to compile basic evidence if we have it. Besides that, they did not ask anything at all,” Sok Chenda stated.

Nay Vanda, of rights group Adhoc, applauded the court for its quick response, but noted that “for this case, the court should invite the defence for questioning first”.