PHNOM PENH, May 9 (FN) — The Cambodian authorities detained six protesters and two foreigners here on Monday for launching a so-called "Black Monday Campaign," a senior official confirmed.

"We detained six Cambodian protesters and two foreigners during their illegal campaign," Phnom Penh Municipal Vice-Governor Khuong Sreng told FN, adding that the authorities had handed over the two foreigners to the Immigration Department for legal action.

"They are foreigners, but they joined the protest. This is a violation of Cambodia's sovereignty," he said.

According to Khuong Sreng, the arrests were made to ensure social stability and to protect the legitimate government.

"Our measure is to ensure people's safety and to prevent the anarchists from attempting to stage 'color revolution' in Cambodia, " he said.

The detainees were among dozens of protesters who dressed in black to demand the government to release the five human rights defenders, who were jailed late last month on charges of bribing a witness in a sex scandal case.

The arrests came after Interior Minister Sar Kheng said on Sunday that a small number of associations and non-governmental organizations had been inciting "Black Monday Campaign" in order to demand the release of those human rights defenders.

He ordered all municipal and provincial governors to take measures to prevent the movement, saying that such provocative move could lead to "social chaos."

Keo Remy, chairman of the Cambodia Human Rights Committee, said the arrests were made after protesters had defied a ban from the Ministry of Interior on Sunday.

"The movement could lead to color revolution, severe social chaos," said Keo Remy, who is also a secretary of state at the Council of Ministers. "We don't want to see Cambodia become the next country after Middle East countries."