PHNOM PENH: A Spokesperson for the National Police has issued a statement condemning the owner of the Facebook account ‘IMan-KH’, a man named Ny Nak, who posted a message insulting the National Police and accused police officers of being the masterminds behind the illegal drug trade in Cambodia.

The statement was issued on Thursday, 22 December 2022, after the National Police became aware of the post made by the Facebook account IMan-KH a few days ago. The owner of the account, Ny Nak, accused authorities of ‘cracking down’ on drugs but not burning them, alleging that authorities only burn fake drugs and then continue the circulation of the real drugs, making them drug traffickers as well.

The General Commissioner of the National Police has said that he believes Mr. Ny Nak made this post with the intention to attack and destroy the honor and dignity of the National Police, and further incite public confusion and loss of faith in the National Police Force.

Phnom Penh Municipal Police Spokesperson, San Sok Seiha, spoke to EAC News and said that he, too, could not accept Mr. Ny Nak’s post.

“If we consider legal factors… His post is a serious blow to the honor and dignity of the entire national police force,” he said.

The National Police General Commissioner has demanded the owner of the Facebook account to publicly apologize for any offense and insult caused to the National Police Force.

Mr. Ny Nak is likely to have already received a statement from the Spokesperson of the General Commissioner, but so far, the Facebook user has refused to apologize and instead made another public post remarking on his situation.

"Anything you want to say to me, please say it now, I am about to go back to prison,” he wrote in a post made on Thursday afternon, 22 December. “I spoke about drugs the day before, shaking to heaven (the government). Do not forget to bring rice for me to eat.”

Regarding Mr. Ny Nak’s allegation that police officers do not burn the drugs seized during crackdowns, the Spokesperson of the General Commissioner clarified that the seized drugs have to be properly and technically stored for forensic purposes, in order to prosecute and punish drug traffickers by law.

For the incineration of drugs and narcotics, authorities must follow through with the procedure in accordance with the decision and judgment made by the court, as well as the decision made by the working groups of competent authorities and relevant institutions, chaired by the capital-provincial prosecutor. The Spokesperson stressed that a separate joint commission is responsible for thoroughly inspecting the procedure of drug transport and incineration, to ensure that no one can steal the drugs.

He added that most drug incinerations are carried out during the national celebration of the International Day Against Drug Trafficking, with information about the event also widely disseminated through all media.

Mr. Ny Nak was previously sentenced to 18 months in prison for "public insult and incitement to discrimination" under Articles 307, 494 and 496 of the Penal Code, on 7 December 2020, after making a provocative Facebook post in regard to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Facebook user had posted about buying masks for chickens and ordering chickens to keep in stock, in order to avoid becoming infected with Covid-19.