A rights group claimed yesterday that four additional people have been arrested over recent violent garment worker protests in the Svay Rieng province town of Bavet, although police officials vigorously denied the claim.

Provincial Licadho coordinator Nouth Bopinnaroath said three people, including one woman, were arrested on Monday and a fourth person, a driver, was arrested yesterday.

“No charges have been filed against any of them,” he said, citing a woman who heard the news from her village chief.

The arrests would bring up the tally of arrested workers to 15, up from the 11 currently known to be in detention.

But provincial penal police chief Koy Sopheap denied the report. “There were no such arrests . . . Nouth Bopinnaroath disseminated incorrect information; where did he get this information that police arrested four more workers?”

Thousands of garment workers across two special economic zones in Bavet began striking on December 16 over the minimum wage, with police and protesters clashing repeatedly. Both sides alleged violence.

Workers returned to work peacefully this week, overseen by a heavy police presence.