Cambodian People’s Party Senator Ly Yong Phat told VOA Khmer that he was not connected to the dispute and that the demonstration was “political”.
Activists and workers say they will never forget the mistreatment at the hands of the security forces, such as the Special Forces Division 911 on January 2.
No serious injuries were reported when the security forces moved the protesters from the building Tuesday.
The killing of Kem Ley has come to symbolize the ills of Cambodian society under Prime Minister Hun Sen’s 31-year rule.
In 2014, Sahmakum Teang Tnaut (STT)estimate that almost 30,000 people had faced forced eviction in Phnom Penh, since 1990.
Sam Rainsy wrote on Facebook on Thursday that he thought the case was politically motivated and carried out by a “puppet court”.
Under Cambodian law, Nguyen Thanh Dung could be charged with aggravated torture and acts of cruelty, which carries a sentence of 10 to 20 years imprisonment.
Palm oil's rapid growth has spawned huge plantations, especially in Southeast Asia. Amnesty International's Meghna Abraham says the burgeoning demand also is driving widespread labor abuses.
Presiding Judge Kim Sathavy said the decision was made to prevent the accused from interfering with the investigation.
Normally, prisoners must be released after a maximum of six months if the courts have failed to gather enough evidence to take the case to trial.
Hang Puthea, National Election Committee (NEC) spokesman, said there had been a lack of cooperation between the authorities and campaigners.
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