Civil societies officials and a number of people plan to write a petition to King Sihamoni and former King Sihanouk to intervene in the release of four people who are behind bars at Prey Sar prison, allege Mr. Son Chhay, civil society officials and some Cambodian people.
Mr. Son Chhay is opposition Sam Rainsy party legislator, and told VOA stringer from Australia that this idea originated since the arrest of Mr. Mam Sonando and Mr. Rong Chhun. Mr. Mam Sonando is the owner of Beehive 105 FM radio station, and Mr. Rong Chhun is president of the Cambodia Independent Teachers Association.
Mr. Son Chhay says that the people have the right to write a petition to their King and that the purpose is to make the government officials think about the arrests which will not stop the demand for freedom of speech.
At least four democracy activists were arrested: Mr. Mam Sonando, Mr. Rong Chhun, Mr Kem Sokha, president of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights, and Mr. Yeng Vireak, director of the Community Legal Education Center.
The last two activists were arrested this Saturday related to a banner displayed on Human Rights Day on 12-10-05.
Government spokesman Khieu Kanharith says that the people who want to write a petition receive unclear information. He says further that he wonders how they will react if they were to be charged with bloody hands and ceding land to Vietnam.