The parents of three youths, who they say have been wrongly accused of crimes they were actually victims of, have demanded a thorough investigation after their sons were arrested on the basis of being suspects in other open cases. The parents have demanded their immediate release.

Cheth Chantha, 52, a resident of Kampong Chhnang town and mother of Sara Narim, told The Post that her son and three friends, aged 18-20, were attacked by another group of youths while en route to have dessert in a town park.

Narim and three friends, named Luy Vy, Vey and the deceased Mol Saroeun, travelled by motorbike in the evening of April 26 to Phsar Leu park to have dessert. Her son Narim travelled with Vy, while Saroeun was on another motorbike with Vey.

Citing the account of her son, who was arrested by the police, Chantha said: “My son told me that when they reached the park, there was a group of youths on motorbikes that crashed into Saroeun’s motorbike. Then they pulled out knives and stabbed Saroeun many times, and fled.”

She said that after the assailants left, her son and two other friends brought Saroeun to Kampong Chhnang Provincial Referral Hospital, where he later died. The youths then brought his body to his family.

Soon after, Kampong Chhnang town police called them to ask about the incident in order to make a report. They went to the police station, only to be arrested and sent to court, she said.

“It really hurt when the court ordered that my son and his two friends be placed in jail after charging them with intentional violence... This is really an injustice for them,” she said.

Chantha alleged that her son and his two friends made forced confessions under duress and beatings from the police.

“My son and his friend Vy told me when I met them at Kampong Chhnang town police station that two or three officers slapped them and knocked their heads to force them to confess for something they had not done,” she said.

Nov Phally, deputy Kampong Chhnang town police chief, denied the claim made by the youths’ parents.

“There was no torture of any suspect to gain a confession. They were found to have drugs in their system when we tested their urine,” he said. He declined to explain why they arrested the three youths despite their friend being killed, and referred further questions to Le Bunthoeun, spokesman for Kampong Chhnang provincial police.

However, when asked, Bunthoeun said he “could not remember the case” as it had already been sent to court and that the three youths had been placed in pre-trial detention since late April. He declined to answer further questions, saying he was “busy”.

Ek Nara, Kampong Chhnang commune police chief, claimed that the three suspects and the deceased were part of a gang who normally fought on the streets in the town and were suspected of snatching as well as taking drugs.

“I am not sure whether they are involved in the latest case because the incident happened in another commune called Ba’er. But I can only say that they are [part of a] gang and were already suspects” prior to their arrest, he said.

Luy Hoeun, the father of Vy, said it was “unreasonable and unjust” that the police failed to investigate and apprehend the real perpetrators, and instead wrongfully arrested the victims of the crime.

“I do not know what offence my son had committed in the past. But on the day of the incident, several gang members just drove their motorbikes and crashed into them and stabbed him, causing serious injuries and his death. But then they were arrested and thrown in jail as they linked them to other cases. The evidence was not at all clear. Meanwhile, the real perpetrators walk free,” he said.

Chan Sarom, the father of the killed youth Saroeun, said he did not believe that the three youths now in jail had killed his son as they were close friends.

“They always go everywhere together and had not caused any trouble with anyone. Police called them to ask about the incident which led to the murder of my son, but they were arrested and implicated in other cases? I don’t understand this,” he said.

He urged the police to properly investigate, bring the real perpetrators to justice and release the three youths from prison.

Provincial court spokesman Long Sitha declined to speak on the case, but said the parents of the accused were exercising their rights when they spoke out.

Am Sam Ath, deputy director of rights group Licadho, said that if the story was as described by the parents of the accused, then the police and the court have to continue their investigation to reach the truth and arrest and sentence the real suspects.

With regard to the fact that drugs were found in their system, he said the focus should be on the three youths being victims of a heinous crime, and the detail if they had nothing to do with the intentional violence they were arrested for.

He cited article 224 of the Criminal Code which states that intentional violence leading to the death of the victim is punishable with a sentence of seven to 15 years, and said it was a “serious crime that requires thorough investigation to ensure justice for victims and to protect social order and security”.

He also said that, should the three youths be found to be drug users, they should have been sent to a drug rehabilitation centre, and the drug trafficking must be investigated.

“The case required the police to do a thorough investigation, transparently, to retrieve evidence to make sure that the real perpetrators are arrested and face justice. This would ensure the victims and their families receive justice, and that impunity is prevented,” he said.