A SAM Rainsy Party district councillor was arrested in Svay Rieng province on Thursday after police accused him of cutting his neighbour’s palm tree.

The man’s relatives and other party members said they believed the arrest was politically motivated.

Peng Kanha said her father, Kong An, had been arrested in Svay Teap district and sent to the provincial court, which decided to detain him.

“They accused my father of destroying someone’s property by cutting leaves from the palm tree,” she said.

“In fact, my father has been taking care of this palm tree since 1983. This issue is a political story because my father is a district councillor for the Sam Rainsy Party,” she said.

SRP provincial Deputy President Meas Kheng said the arrest had been ordered for political reasons by Phang Samon, the deputy president of the court, but did not offer any details of the dispute.

Phang Samon could not be reached for comment Thursday.