A local Pursat province journalist filed a lawsuit yesterday against a group of wood traders who he alleges beat him up on Tuesday.

Krouch Non, Santre commune police chief, said he had forwarded the investigation request to district officials.

According to Non, Nhok Yern, a reporter for Prum Bayon newspaper, and another journalist confronted men trafficking wood by cart. A day earlier, one of the traffickers had been confronted by police after Non reported them to the officers. In retaliation “the suspect took his revenge on the victim”.

Sam Sokha, a reporter for Veal Entry who accompanied Yern on the day of the attack, confirmed the story and said Yern remained badly injured.

“The suspect said, ‘Why did you take photos of my wood?’ Then he went to [Yern] and started beating him up,” Sokha said.

Phnom Kravanh district police chief Meas Savet said he was aware of the complaint but was yet to receive it from commune officials.