Agence France Presse
Phnom Penh - Not enough had been done to ensure the protection of witnesses called before Cambodia's Khmer Rouge tribunal, lawyers warned Monday, adding the trials of former regime leaders could be jeopardised.
"We are concerned," said Rupert Skilbeck of the tribunal's Defence Office, which was established to ensure the rights of defendants.
"Compared to other tribunals, it's miniscule ... you have to get this right," he said, calling witnesses protection "insufficient".
"If witnesses are killed or intimidated, you won't have a fair trial," he said, speaking at a meeting on the challenges faced by the defence.
Potentially hundreds of people could be called to court as Cambodia tries former regime leaders, accused of one of the 20th century's worst genocides.
Up to two million people died of starvation, overwork, or were executed during the 1975-79 rule of the Khmer Rouge, which turned Cambodia into a vast collective farm between 1975 and 1979 in its drive for an agrarian utopia, forcing millions into the countryside.
A three-year, joint UN-Cambodian tribunal got underway in July, with co-prosecutors expected to hand up the names of potential defendants to an investigating judge by the end of the year.
Trials are expected to start in mid-2007.
A top genocide researcher said earlier this year likely witnesses had gone into hiding amid protection fears.
Under the current arrangement, witnesses will come under the protection of Cambodian police, who critics point out have a history of corruption and brutality.
"The setup of witness protection as currently envisaged will be wholly inadequate," said lawyer Richard Rogers in a report.
"Relying on a police force that has a reputation for corruption and incompetence would place the lives of the witnesses at risk," he said.
"We are concerned," said Rupert Skilbeck of the tribunal's Defence Office, which was established to ensure the rights of defendants.
"Compared to other tribunals, it's miniscule ... you have to get this right," he said, calling witnesses protection "insufficient".
"If witnesses are killed or intimidated, you won't have a fair trial," he said, speaking at a meeting on the challenges faced by the defence.
Potentially hundreds of people could be called to court as Cambodia tries former regime leaders, accused of one of the 20th century's worst genocides.
Up to two million people died of starvation, overwork, or were executed during the 1975-79 rule of the Khmer Rouge, which turned Cambodia into a vast collective farm between 1975 and 1979 in its drive for an agrarian utopia, forcing millions into the countryside.
A three-year, joint UN-Cambodian tribunal got underway in July, with co-prosecutors expected to hand up the names of potential defendants to an investigating judge by the end of the year.
Trials are expected to start in mid-2007.
A top genocide researcher said earlier this year likely witnesses had gone into hiding amid protection fears.
Under the current arrangement, witnesses will come under the protection of Cambodian police, who critics point out have a history of corruption and brutality.
"The setup of witness protection as currently envisaged will be wholly inadequate," said lawyer Richard Rogers in a report.
"Relying on a police force that has a reputation for corruption and incompetence would place the lives of the witnesses at risk," he said.
2 comments:
You can't ask Cambodian Police and government to protect you. They don't, You live will be at a high risk if you know that you're going to be a witness for the Genocide Trial. Khmer is known to kill Khmer, when it comes to protections, it's all Bulls SHITS!!!. Trust me.
If UN and world power can not reforme Cambodia Royal Police their is no way you can protect any cambodian in cambodia!
it full control by kiler gain, is the Cambodia Police force it self the leader is Hok Landy, If any one involve in Cambodia business and not know about that you are afool or a lier!
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