Representatives for a detainee held since his arrest at a strike in early January say the window to operate on his broken hand is closing.

Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Friday will hear a special temporary bail request for Sokun Sombath Piseth, 31, one of 21 people held in Kampong Cham’s Correctional Centre 3 since crackdowns on January 2 and 3, said Naly Pilorge, director of Licadho, which is providing legal representation for Piseth.

“The hospital in Kampong Cham says [his hand] was broken in four places,” Pilorge said. “There is a time limit where you can operate on a broken bone.”

Piseth is asking to be released from CC3 for five days to receive surgery.

His two previous bail requests – along with the other defendants’ – were denied. But a doctor recently advised that if he does not undergo surgery for the broken hand soon, his injury could render him permanently disabled, Pilorge said.

All defendants arrested during the demonstrations are scheduled for trial on April 18.