Family Claims Cambodian Detainee Was Tortured to Death in Prison, Despite Suicide Ruling
2020-05-08
A Cambodian man suffering from mental illness who died in detention in Battambang province last month was tortured and murdered by prison guards, his aunt said Friday, as a local rights group demanded a probe into his death.

On April 19, 38-year-old Orn Tith stole a car and damaged it after driving it onto private property. When his family was unable to pay for the damages, police arrested him and sent him to the Battambang Provincial Correction Center.

On April 30, prison authorities transported Orn Tith—who has been medically certified as having a mental health condition—to the Battambang Provincial Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. Prison officials ruled his death a suicide.

Orn Tith’s aunt, Yorn Kim, told RFA’s Khmer Service Friday that her nephew’s hands, legs, back, and waist were covered in bruises when his family went to retrieve his body, saying it appeared as if he had been beaten with a baton or thick cable while handcuffed and shackled.

She said she believes he was tortured to death and demanded that the provincial court bring his murderers to justice, adding that she filed a complaint with court authorities on Thursday.

“I can assure you that this is a torture case, because there is no way my nephew committed suicide,” she said.

“He is mentally ill. He could not kill himself. I could believe if he died by drowning or hanging, but what weapons did he use to kill himself?”

Yorn Kim called her nephew’s case an example of how Cambodia’s justice system is “very biased against the poor, who don’t have any power.”

Ministry of Justice spokesman Chin Malin could not be reached for comment Friday, but earlier told RFA that Orn Tith died of “self-inflicted wounds,” not torture or acts of violence.

“If the family members are not satisfied with the explanation, they can file a complaint according to the law—if they have evidence to prove their argument,” he said at the time.

On Friday, Yin Mengly, Battambang provincial coordinator for local rights group Adhoc, called for a “thorough investigation” of Orn Tith’s case, adding that he never should have been arrested and jailed in the first place because of his mental health condition.

“There are suspicious circumstances surrounding the death and [Orn Tith] did not simply die from an illness,” he said.
https://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambod ... 50845.html

" He is mentally ill. He could not kill himself " , but he was somehow able to steal other peoples cars ?

" he never should have been arrested and jailed in the first place because of his mental health condition. " - is this like a get out of jail free card, no matter what you do ?