AN arrest warrant on charges of illegal confinement against Naly Pilorge, acting
director of human rights NGO Licadho, was used by Asian Orphan's Association (AOA)
lawyer Chhit Boravuth in a separate custody battle over 12 orphans seized during
a September 3 raid.
The arrest warrant relates to a February case - in which AOA has no interest - when
Licadho intervened over a six-year-old girl who had been beaten and whipped with
electrical wire. Her adoptive mother later admitted to the crime. The woman filed
suit against Licadho to regain custody of the girl, but failed.
"Licadho proceeded in the best interests of the child, proceeded legally and
cooperated with all relevant authorities," Pilorge said.
AOA has been engaged in court action against Licadho on matters involving an adoption
case. Boravuth showed the document to the Post and admitted he produced a copy of
the summons during a custody hearing over the orphans October 15. He denied his actions
were improper.
Pilorge questioned why Boravuth even had a copy of the summons.
"I'm not sure why any person would have access to a confidential document for
an unrelated case. We intend to write to the president of the Bar Association about
this," Pilorge said.
Bun Honn, secretary-general of the Bar Association, said that while it was permissible
for Boravuth to have the document, it was unethical to show it to anyone outside
the court.
But the judge in the torture case, Kong Seth, disagreed with this assessment. "This
is illegal - that is not his duty. If there is a legal complaint against this, then
I will investigate it."
Licadho was awarded custody of the girl in the torture case in February. The decision
was later ratified by the municipal court and the Ministry of Social Affairs.
