Rasmei Kampuchea
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
The progress of the Khmer Rouge trial has reached a critical point with the serious verbal confrontations between the Cambodian Bar Association (CBA) and foreign judges who indicated that they will pull themselves out to the tribunal if there is no acceptable resolution to the demand of fees from foreign defense lawyers.
At this conjunction, justice in Cambodia in bringing to trial the Khmer Rouge leaders, is held as hostage for a ransom amount of $4,900 per year.
Ky Tech, the CBA president, said on 25 March that the CBA received a reaction letter from the foreign judges. This is the very first time that the CBA is receiving such written ultimatum. Ky Tech warned that the CBA is an independent and free institution, and it does not accept the pressure or threats imposed by any organization whatsoever.
Ky Tech added that the letter stated that if the CBA does not change its attitude regarding the registration fees for foreign lawyers, the foreign judges will boycott the plenary session for the approval of the tribunal’s internal rule. Ky tech said: “This reaction is childish and it is a pressure on the CBA regulation, as well as on the Cambodian law.”
Austrian judge Claudia Fenz told the AFP a few days ago that the Khmer Rouge tribunal is in jeopardy if there is no agreement on the participation of foreign defense lawyers. She requested the CBA to rethink over its decision to demand fees from foreign lawyers, and come up with a final decision before the end of March. She added that this decision is vital for bringing the former Khmer Rouge leaders to face justice for the acts they committed between 1975 and 1979.
The CBA requires that foreign lawyers pay a fee of $500 to register their names, and if they are selected to defend the accused, they must pay an extra $2,000, as well as paying a monthly fee of $200. In total, each foreign lawyer would need to $4,900 per year. [The CBA claims that] foreign lawyers could earn between $1,000 per day or about than $30,000 per month.
Therefore, if the foreign judges are pulling themselves out of the Khmer Rouge tribunal, justice is Cambodia or the Khmer Rouge trial will be taken for hostage for a ransom amount of $4,900.
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KI Media note: The Rasmei Kampuchea newspaper is a mouthpiece of the government and the ruling party. The CBA is also accused of being influenced by high-ranking government officials. Therefore, the Rasmei Kampuchea and the CBA could be viewed as two hands of one single body.
At this conjunction, justice in Cambodia in bringing to trial the Khmer Rouge leaders, is held as hostage for a ransom amount of $4,900 per year.
Ky Tech, the CBA president, said on 25 March that the CBA received a reaction letter from the foreign judges. This is the very first time that the CBA is receiving such written ultimatum. Ky Tech warned that the CBA is an independent and free institution, and it does not accept the pressure or threats imposed by any organization whatsoever.
Ky Tech added that the letter stated that if the CBA does not change its attitude regarding the registration fees for foreign lawyers, the foreign judges will boycott the plenary session for the approval of the tribunal’s internal rule. Ky tech said: “This reaction is childish and it is a pressure on the CBA regulation, as well as on the Cambodian law.”
Austrian judge Claudia Fenz told the AFP a few days ago that the Khmer Rouge tribunal is in jeopardy if there is no agreement on the participation of foreign defense lawyers. She requested the CBA to rethink over its decision to demand fees from foreign lawyers, and come up with a final decision before the end of March. She added that this decision is vital for bringing the former Khmer Rouge leaders to face justice for the acts they committed between 1975 and 1979.
The CBA requires that foreign lawyers pay a fee of $500 to register their names, and if they are selected to defend the accused, they must pay an extra $2,000, as well as paying a monthly fee of $200. In total, each foreign lawyer would need to $4,900 per year. [The CBA claims that] foreign lawyers could earn between $1,000 per day or about than $30,000 per month.
Therefore, if the foreign judges are pulling themselves out of the Khmer Rouge tribunal, justice is Cambodia or the Khmer Rouge trial will be taken for hostage for a ransom amount of $4,900.
-----
KI Media note: The Rasmei Kampuchea newspaper is a mouthpiece of the government and the ruling party. The CBA is also accused of being influenced by high-ranking government officials. Therefore, the Rasmei Kampuchea and the CBA could be viewed as two hands of one single body.
2 comments:
A signature/thumbprint campaign to request the government and the Bar Association to make a "good-will gesture for truth and justice for the Cambodian people" by waiving all fees for foreign lawyers. It is immoral and inhuman to make money out of the suffering of the Cambodian people, truth and justice for them.
LAO Mong Hay, Hong Kong
Hi Dr. LM Hay,
I am sincerely appreciate and thank you for your comment. I do agree with you, "good-will gesture for truth and justice for the Cambodian people". But we all know that those Cambodian lawyers and the CBA are a bunch of scum and riffraff. They don't see the good fortune of the bulwark of law and order that could lead to the bright future for Cambodia and her people. Regardless the KR tribunal is going to go forward or not, They are highjacking the foreign defense lawyers for more green. They would find any lame excuse to stall the trial.
Have a good day, Sir.
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