ARTICLE

LICADHO protects a wife and her children from abuse

Published on 11 August 2004
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On August 11, 2004 at approximately 8:30 AM, a uniformed soldier, accompanied by two civilians, arrived at LICADHO's Phnom Penh office yelling and screaming. According to the soldier's wife, who was in one of LICADHO's office with her 3 children, the soldier, who had a history of alcoholism and aggressive behaviour, had sent his 17 year old stepdaughter a love letter and then attempted to rape her.

At 9:00 AM, while LICADHO staff continued to talk to the soldier, the President of LICADHO, phoned the Chief Police Commissioner of Phnom Penh who sent a commune police officer and 4 military police officers who convinced the two civilians to leave except for the soldier who remained at LICADHO until 10:15 AM.

Since the incident, the soldier's wife and her children have been taken to a NGO shelter and will be referred to an NGO lawyer who will help her to obtain a divorce and custody of her children. An MPA guard will work during evenings at LICADHO's office for a period of 7 days to prevent any further incidents. In the past years, several LICADHO staff have been charged, arrested, detained and beaten as a result of their human rights work in Cambodia. Prior, during and after the 1993, 1998, 2002, 2003 elections, high ranking government authorities have threatened and harassed LICADHO about providing assistance to victims of political and civil rights.

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