DPA
Phnom Penh - The Review Committee of the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) to try remaining former Khmer Rouge leaders has called its next full meeting from March 7 to 16 in a new attempt to thrash out vital internal rules.
The ECCC said in a press release that the meeting's purpose will be to continue discussions on the draft internal rules, a process which began at the plenary session last November but ended in acrimonious squabbling as international and Cambodian judges failed to reconcile very different systems of justice.
The internal rules govern every aspect of the court from the role and rights of prosecution and defence to witness protection, and without them the hearings cannot proceed.
'The work of the Review Committee is particularly challenging as the judges must ensure consistency between existing Cambodian procedure and international standards, taking into account the unique nature and structure of the ECCC,' the statement said.
'All the judges are mindful that the upcoming Review Committee meeting is of vital importance as it must resolve all fundamental differences and agree a draft text of the Internal Rules to put forward for consideration and adoption by all ECCC judges at the next Plenary.
'The judges are also acutely aware that time is of the essence.'
It said that if the upcoming meeting is successful in resolving remaining issues, a plenary session could be called as soon as April and the first case file may be transferred from the co-Prosecutors to the co-Investigating Judges 'soon thereafter'.
The Khmer Rouge's ultra-Maoist Democratic Kampuchea regime ruled Cambodia between 1975 and 1979, during which time up to 2 million Cambodians died.
The 56-million dollar joint UN-Cambodian proceedings to try a handful of the now aging and often ailing former leaders is budgeted to take three years to complete.
The ECCC said in a press release that the meeting's purpose will be to continue discussions on the draft internal rules, a process which began at the plenary session last November but ended in acrimonious squabbling as international and Cambodian judges failed to reconcile very different systems of justice.
The internal rules govern every aspect of the court from the role and rights of prosecution and defence to witness protection, and without them the hearings cannot proceed.
'The work of the Review Committee is particularly challenging as the judges must ensure consistency between existing Cambodian procedure and international standards, taking into account the unique nature and structure of the ECCC,' the statement said.
'All the judges are mindful that the upcoming Review Committee meeting is of vital importance as it must resolve all fundamental differences and agree a draft text of the Internal Rules to put forward for consideration and adoption by all ECCC judges at the next Plenary.
'The judges are also acutely aware that time is of the essence.'
It said that if the upcoming meeting is successful in resolving remaining issues, a plenary session could be called as soon as April and the first case file may be transferred from the co-Prosecutors to the co-Investigating Judges 'soon thereafter'.
The Khmer Rouge's ultra-Maoist Democratic Kampuchea regime ruled Cambodia between 1975 and 1979, during which time up to 2 million Cambodians died.
The 56-million dollar joint UN-Cambodian proceedings to try a handful of the now aging and often ailing former leaders is budgeted to take three years to complete.
1 comment:
PLEASE, UNDP, INTERESTED STATES, OSJI, AND OTHER CONCERNED AUTHORITIES COME TO ECCC AND MAKE A TOUGH AUDIT AND INVESTIGATION ABOUT THE KICKBACK FROM THE ECCC's STAFF TO RETAIN THEIR POSITION IN ECCC. PLEASE DO IT, I AM SURE YOU WILL ABSOLUTELY FIND THE TRUE. DON'T WITHDRAW YOUR POSITION. YOUR ALLEGATION IS 100% GROUNDED. PLEASE DO THE INVESTIGATION, I AM AN ECCC STAFF, I AM IN YOUR SIDE. YOU WILL FIND THE KICKBACK...
1:58 PM
Post a Comment