THE PHNOM PENH POST
The December 17 attack was one in a spate of at least 11 in late 2009 and early 2010 that brought heightened attention to the issue of acid crimes, and prompted the government to form a committee tasked with drafting legislation to combat them. A key component of the draft law – which is still being finalised – is punishment, with the committee proposing life sentences for serious attacks.
All too often, those who advocate on behalf of acid victims say, perpetrators are never made to stand trial. The other two women attacked on December 17, for instance, settled for out-of-court payments of 2 million riels and 500,000 riels, said Horng Lairapo, medical and legal manager for the Cambodian Acid Survivors Charity.
The Phnom Penh Post for more