99:, by then-town governor Chhouk Bandith on February 20, 2012. The shooting and the following court cases received national attention in Cambodia and have been characterised as highlighting the "culture of impunity among Cambodian officials implicated in scandals and the reluctance of Cambodian courts to find justice for the victims of attacks on labour activists."
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witnesses reported him drawing a gun from his waist and opening fire at the crowd. He hit Buot Chinda in the chest, piercing her lung, Nuth
Sakhorn in the back and Keo Near in the arm. Witnesses also reported that Bandith attempted to further shoot his gun, but that a technical malfunction prevented him from doing so.
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According to NGO reports, Bandith enjoyed preferential treatment in prison and was allowed considerably more freedom than other inmates. He had also not paid the $ 9,279 he was ordered to pay to Near, Chinda and
Sakhorn as compensation. He finished his 18-month jail term on February 8, 2017. On July
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On March 15, Bandith was summoned for questioning to Svay Rieng provincial court. There, he confessed to the shooting, but was afterwards let go. "He confessed to the shooting but he gave me many for reasons for that", the
Provincial Prosecutor said. "It is my right not to arrest . I don't see it as
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Bandith went back to work before Near, Sakhorn and Chinda were released from hospital. All three also said town officials had tried to buy their silence, offering them between $ 500 and $ 1,000 if they did not press charges. Near, Sakhorn and Chinda all filed complaints against
Bandith, demanding $
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Bandith was driven from his residence nearby to the scene and arrived around 8:00 am. Apparently noticing a group of workers attempting to destroy several video cameras, he shouted at the workers to stop and made their way towards them through the crowd. Once he arrived within a few meters of them,
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After a public outcry, the Court of
Appeals announced it would take on the case on January 2, 2013. On March 4, Bandith was charged again and the case sent back to Svay Rieng Provicinal Court. The case was repeatedly delayed because neither Bandith nor his lawyers appeared for the proceedings.
107:
In
February 2012, thousands of workers were protesting for a pay raise and better working conditions in Manhattan Economic Zone in Bavet, Svay Rieng. Police used tear gas against some of the strikes, and on February 20, workers arriving for work at Kaoway Sports factory, a supplier of
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publicly called for
Bandith's arrest after years of silence on the matter. Days later, on August 8, 2015, Bandith turned himself in to police and began his prison term in Svay Rieng Provincial Prison on the same day. The arrest was praised by trade unions including
192:, protested against this light sentence. The latter also said the sentence meant little as long as Bandith remained at large. The court also, for the first time, ordered Bandith's arrest, but Bandith remained at large. He still managed to appeal his conviction.
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on March 1, 2012. His removal as town governor, in order to prevent him from influencing the ongoing trial, was announced on March 8. However, with the same decree, he was also given an unspecified position in the Svay Rieng province administration.
218:
23, 2020, Phnom Penh Appeal Court announced it had ruled in favour of
Bandith's rehabilitation, nullifying any remaining part of his sentence. It was unclear whether this meant he would be reinstated into his former position as governor of Bavet.
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for him. In July 2015 Near, Chinda and
Sakhorn petitioned parliament regarding the case, saying they were living in fear of Bandith's retribution and that they were still not able to work again full time. On August 3, Cambodian Prime Minister
112:, found the factory closed and guarded by police. The police told the workers they were there on the orders of city governor Chhouk Bandith. Throughout the morning, additional workers kept arriving, and around 7:55 am police notified Bandith.
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The verdict of the second case was announced on June 25. Bandith was convicted of "causing unintentional bodily harm" and sentenced to a fine and one and a half years in prison. Cambodian civil rights organisations, including
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In August, the chief of penal police in Bavet was also put under court supervision on the same charges as
Bandith. He was finally convicted of the illegal use of a weapon, fined and sentenced to six months' imprisonment.
145:
important." Government officials meanwhile said the decision of arresting a suspect was up to the court. On the same day, numerous trade unions and civil society organisations called for Bandith's arrest.
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Still, on April 19, charges were filed against Bandith. On May 14, the prosecutor announced that Bandith "had not intended to injure the three women" and he would therefore be charged with the
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278:
279:
Legal Analysis of the Criminal Case Against Ex-Bavet Governor Chhouk Bandith and Police Chief Sar Chantha Arising from the Shooting of Kaoway Factory Workers on 20 February 2012
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390:"Civil Society Urges Authorities to Arrest the Shooter Behind Last Month's Tragedy in Svay Rieng's Manhattan Special Economic Zone"
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Bandith then fled and escaped a group of workers pursuing him while Near, Sakhorn and Chinda were taken to a hospital.
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On December 18, the case against Bandith was dropped without explanation. This was swiftly condemned by the
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453:"Ex-Governor's Slap on Wrist for Shooting a Stark Contrast to Harsh Penalties for Human Rights Defenders"
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327:
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was the shooting of three striking garment workers, Keo Near, Buot Chinda and Nuth Sakhorn, in
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offence of "causing injury without intent". Meanwhile, the workers' lawyers said
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Bandith remained at large from 2013 to 2015. In March 2015, Interpol issued a
171:. Government officials again said the decision was in the hands of the court.
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35:
478:"STATEMENT: Chhouk Bandith Sentence Means Little if he Remains at Large"
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personnel did not allow them to collect evidence at the crime scene.
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189:
542:"Victims of Shooting Petition for Arrest of Their Assailant"
350:"Bavet town shooting victims summonsed [sic] again"
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Bandith was publicly named as suspect by Interior Minister
304:"Bavet Mayor Identified As Suspect in Bloody Shooting"
675:"'Rehabilitation' request granted to former governor"
73:
65:
57:
49:
41:
23:
18:
365:
363:
321:
319:
561:"Premier finally speaks out on Chhouk Bandith"
523:"Chhouk Bandith still at large three years on"
416:"'Suspicious suspect' in Bavet shooting named"
616:Rollet, Charles; Mom, Kunthear (2015-08-11).
8:
370:Chhay, Channyda; Boyle, David (2012-03-16).
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295:
656:"Ex-Bavet gov Bandith ends prison sentence"
578:Cheang, Sokha; May, Titthara (2015-08-08).
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326:May, Titthara; Seiff, Abby (2012-12-19).
243:Cambodia and the Politics of Aesthetics
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637:"Bandith living well in jail: org"
504:"Bandith appeals while on the lam"
246:. New York: Routledge. p. 1.
196:Imprisonment in 2015 and aftermath
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580:"Chhouk Bandith turns himself in"
286:Cambodian Center for Human Rights
165:Cambodian Center for Human Rights
328:"Chhouk Bandith charges dropped"
302:Kong, Sothanarith (2012-03-01).
724:2012 labor disputes and strikes
719:Human rights abuses in Cambodia
559:Chhay, Chhannyda (2015-08-04).
414:Chhay, Chhannyda (2012-08-30).
654:Chhay, Channyda (2017-02-09).
1:
540:Neou, Vannarin (2015-07-27).
372:"Factory shooter 'confesses'"
240:Lim, Alvin Cheng-Hin (2013).
729:Textile and clothing strikes
704:February 2012 crimes in Asia
635:May, Titthara (2015-08-18).
618:"Unions eye Bandith verdict"
597:May, Titthara (2015-08-10).
521:May, Titthara (2015-02-20).
502:May, Titthara (2013-07-21).
433:May, Titthara (2013-05-22).
348:May, Titthara (2012-05-15).
709:2012 mass shootings in Asia
780:
714:Labor disputes in Cambodia
759:Controversies in Cambodia
673:Kim, Sarom (2020-07-23).
435:"Bandith no-shows trial"
133:45,000 in compensation.
53:Striking garment workers
699:2012 crimes in Cambodia
599:"Bandith's behind bars"
734:Mass shootings in Asia
154:Special Economic Zone
123:Criminal proceedings
764:Svay Rieng province
739:Non-fatal shootings
679:The Phnom Penh Post
660:The Phnom Penh Post
641:The Phnom Penh Post
622:The Phnom Penh Post
603:The Phnom Penh Post
584:The Phnom Penh Post
565:The Phnom Penh Post
527:The Phnom Penh Post
508:The Phnom Penh Post
439:The Phnom Penh Post
420:The Phnom Penh Post
376:The Phnom Penh Post
354:The Phnom Penh Post
332:The Phnom Penh Post
85:2012 Bavet shooting
32:Svay Rieng Province
19:2012 Bavet shooting
169:Human Rights Watch
28:Bavet Municipality
480:(Press release).
455:(Press release).
392:(Press release).
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486:. Retrieved
484:. 2013-06-25
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461:. Retrieved
459:. 2013-06-25
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396:. 2012-03-12
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150:misdemeanour
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175:Second case
74:Perpetrator
693:Categories
488:2021-01-28
463:2021-01-28
400:2021-01-28
284:(Report).
222:References
202:red notice
128:First case
93:Svay Rieng
138:Sar Kheng
103:Shooting
97:Cambodia
36:Cambodia
24:Location
457:Licadho
394:Licadho
212:C.CAWDU
207:Hun Sen
186:Licadho
66:Injured
58:Weapons
250:
61:pistol
50:Target
482:ADHOC
282:(PDF)
190:ADHOC
89:Bavet
248:ISBN
188:and
167:and
110:Puma
83:The
42:Date
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