PHNOM PENH (Reuters) - Cambodia's U.N.-backed Khmer Rouge tribunal adjourned a bail hearing on Monday for "Brother Number Two" Nuon Chea after his Dutch lawyer failed to show up.
Making his first court appearance since being charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity, the white-haired and toothless 82-year-old Nuon Chea, who was Pol Pot's right hand man, spoke only to ask that his request for bail be delayed.
"Why are we having the hearing today since I have only one Cambodian lawyer and it is not consistent with international standards?" he asked the courtroom packed with nearly 500 people and reporters.
"If the hearing goes ahead, I don't believe it will be fair to me," he said.
An estimated 1.7 million people were executed or died of torture, disease or starvation under Pol Pot's 1975-79 reign of terror as his dream of creating an agrarian peasant utopia descended into the nightmare of the "Killing Fields".
Nuon Chea is accused of playing a central role in the atrocities and has been implicated directly in the mass slaughter of regime opponents by Duch, head of Phnom Penh's S-21, or Tuol Sleng, interrogation and torture centre.
Duch who is also accused of atrocities, is expected to be a key witness at the long-awaited $56 million tribunal.
The court did not set a new date to hear Nuon Chea's request that he be released on bail for lack of evidence. He is unlikely to be freed.
(Reporting by Ek Madra; Editing by Ed Cropley)
Making his first court appearance since being charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity, the white-haired and toothless 82-year-old Nuon Chea, who was Pol Pot's right hand man, spoke only to ask that his request for bail be delayed.
"Why are we having the hearing today since I have only one Cambodian lawyer and it is not consistent with international standards?" he asked the courtroom packed with nearly 500 people and reporters.
"If the hearing goes ahead, I don't believe it will be fair to me," he said.
An estimated 1.7 million people were executed or died of torture, disease or starvation under Pol Pot's 1975-79 reign of terror as his dream of creating an agrarian peasant utopia descended into the nightmare of the "Killing Fields".
Nuon Chea is accused of playing a central role in the atrocities and has been implicated directly in the mass slaughter of regime opponents by Duch, head of Phnom Penh's S-21, or Tuol Sleng, interrogation and torture centre.
Duch who is also accused of atrocities, is expected to be a key witness at the long-awaited $56 million tribunal.
The court did not set a new date to hear Nuon Chea's request that he be released on bail for lack of evidence. He is unlikely to be freed.
(Reporting by Ek Madra; Editing by Ed Cropley)
5 comments:
Doesn't mean that if you don't show up in court, you'll loose your case?? Techniquely, B # 2 & Duth had already lost the case. Done. Case Close.
no. it doesn't. Petty crimes like showing up to argue against your shopping lifting and speed citations mean case is done you going to pay.
This works differently. And also, The defendant is at the court but one of his lawyer is not so he have the right to object to this procedure because he feels his position will not have enough backing.
Case is not close. It is not done. Sorry to disappoint you. I am really interested in the actual case, not these little bail request etc. I want to know the answer to these leaders:
Who was behind the KR
Why was the KR policy to kill its own
How much did these leaders have knowledge of the killing.
I am not convinced that they are either innocent or guilty of any crime unless
they are given a fair trial and the truth be given a chance to examine in the court.
It aint' done until its done correctly
The UN backed court will do its job. Manny Khmers will come up with revenge and hatred to condemn the KR. The KR will look more and more ungly. The Vietnamese and the CPP will look more and more nice as saver of the Khmer. That's why you see the " tevoda bach phkar" in the CPP logo. And the final result is that Ho Chi Minh's dream of controling Indochina will come to a 100 % success. Cambodia will be soon or later just like Kampuchea Krom (legally). It sounds so sad, and I hope that I am wrong.
TRY TO GET MORE INFO THAT WHY THE LAYER CAN SHOW UP FOOL ABOVE!
THE FUCKING CPP NOT ALOW DON'T BE SHIT HEAD HERE!
10:20 PM
Who was behind the KR
Why was the KR policy to kill its own
How much did these leaders have knowledge of the killing.
Since the paramount leader [brother No 1] and astute engineer of the regime has long gone and cremated so does the truths. Doubtfully that brother 2 or 3 or any one that are behind bar at this very moment would reveal the much need truths so the survivors of the regime can finally say "Justice is done".
Post a Comment