By Prak Chan Thul
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
The Hong Kong-based NGO Asian Human Rights Commission has called on foreign governments to withdraw their support from the Khmer Rouge tribunal until all the trial's judges and prosecutors relinquish their membership of political parties.
The NGO urged UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to request that King Norodom Sihamoni and the Supreme Council of Magistracy to immediately order the judicial officials to make the move, in a Thursday statement.
Foreign governments providing funding for the tribunal "must understand that they will do more harm than good to the Cambodian people by financing Khmer Rouge trials presided over by political appointees," said the commission, for which legal analyst Lao Mong Hay is a senior researcher.
Despite criticism of the Cambodian judicial officials, the UN has remained silent and seems willing to work with them, the commission said.
"[T]he UN is undermining 13 years of efforts, many by its own officials and experts, to build an independent judiciary," it added.
UNDP spokesman Dain Bolwell declined comment.
Tribunal spokesman Reach Sambath said the trial process does not take the political affiliations of judges into account, adding that the judges will have to ensure justice regardless of their backgrounds.
Government spokesman Khieu Kanharith accused the commission of trying to eliminate judges' rights.
"Judges are human beings who also have political rights." he added.
The NGO urged UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to request that King Norodom Sihamoni and the Supreme Council of Magistracy to immediately order the judicial officials to make the move, in a Thursday statement.
Foreign governments providing funding for the tribunal "must understand that they will do more harm than good to the Cambodian people by financing Khmer Rouge trials presided over by political appointees," said the commission, for which legal analyst Lao Mong Hay is a senior researcher.
Despite criticism of the Cambodian judicial officials, the UN has remained silent and seems willing to work with them, the commission said.
"[T]he UN is undermining 13 years of efforts, many by its own officials and experts, to build an independent judiciary," it added.
UNDP spokesman Dain Bolwell declined comment.
Tribunal spokesman Reach Sambath said the trial process does not take the political affiliations of judges into account, adding that the judges will have to ensure justice regardless of their backgrounds.
Government spokesman Khieu Kanharith accused the commission of trying to eliminate judges' rights.
"Judges are human beings who also have political rights." he added.
2 comments:
Give us real justice, real democracy, neutral police force please!!!!!!!!!!!!!
these are just part of their employment, do not hope too much with these people, nothing going to fair for the innocents!!
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