Fri, 21 Mar 2008 DPA
Phnom Penh - The only woman to be held in pre-trial detention by the Khmer Rouge tribunal in Cambodia has requested her appeal for bail be delayed in the interests of justice and human rights, the joint UN-Cambodian court said in a statement Friday. Legal advocates for Ieng Thirith, also known by her maiden name of Khieu Thirith and revolutionary names of Phea and Hong, asked for a stay of her scheduled appeal in April until late May.
The defense said Diana Ellis, whom Thirith has selected as her international co-lawyer, would be unable to attend the April 21 hearing because of prior commitments.
The inability for Ellis to attend would "lead to a violation of her [Thirith's] fair trial rights" and breach human rights stipulations, according to a defence statement made public by the court.
As the sister-in-law of the movement's late former leader Pol Pot, the former Khmer Rouge social affairs minister Thirith, who is in her late 70s, is accused of being one of the inner circle of the 1975-79 regime.
Her husband and former former foreign minister Ieng Sary is also one of five former Khmer Rouge leaders who have been arrested and charged by the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia.
Up to 2 million Cambodians perished under the Khmer Rouge's Democratic Kampuchea regime, and the five have been charged with human rights abuses and in some cases war crimes by the court.
Thirith's defence request was dated Friday. The court did not say when a decision might be handed down. Thirith has denied the charges against her and faces a yet-to-be-scheduled trial.
The defense said Diana Ellis, whom Thirith has selected as her international co-lawyer, would be unable to attend the April 21 hearing because of prior commitments.
The inability for Ellis to attend would "lead to a violation of her [Thirith's] fair trial rights" and breach human rights stipulations, according to a defence statement made public by the court.
As the sister-in-law of the movement's late former leader Pol Pot, the former Khmer Rouge social affairs minister Thirith, who is in her late 70s, is accused of being one of the inner circle of the 1975-79 regime.
Her husband and former former foreign minister Ieng Sary is also one of five former Khmer Rouge leaders who have been arrested and charged by the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia.
Up to 2 million Cambodians perished under the Khmer Rouge's Democratic Kampuchea regime, and the five have been charged with human rights abuses and in some cases war crimes by the court.
Thirith's defence request was dated Friday. The court did not say when a decision might be handed down. Thirith has denied the charges against her and faces a yet-to-be-scheduled trial.
6 comments:
i see this she-devil kind of woman is so stupid and ignorant for allowing the killing of millions of cambodian people under her committee in cambodia during the KR. i hope she will die of diabetes and heart attack soon. go to hell stinking woman, KR women!
In the memories of the INNOCENTS Cambodians soul .....HANG this ugly ,fat bitch send her to HELL where she belongs and get over it ....I am sick and tire of these people ...enough is enough
Patriotically, we should not trigger retaliation or express hate towards our same race. Pol Pot's teamwork has guilty and let the court proceed it though sometime we have not hope much with this half-blood court. Of course, no body is perfect including Hun Sen. But one important thing is to change from bad to good, and lead the country with heedfulness and consciousness. This is why I eager to articulate to Hun Sen, it is not late for him to change from power-thirsty to nation-building.
Nation-building means stopping using "twisting political behavior", "carrot and stick", "bamboo to cut bamboo". It will not lasting win, and it is not the win-win strategy for our nation, but it is just a win-win strategy for leviathan and monster. Staying in power alone is the foreseeable sign of destroying himself, his family, and the whole Cambodian nation. These political behaviors are just an idiosyncratic frailty.
Let other many competent members in CPP rise up to power, or manage a fair election and constructive political behavior in order to push SRP to the position of national leadership in order to facilitate political alternative for our Cambodian citizens.
Khmers should not remember the day that Khmers killed Khmers, Khmers hate Khmers, Khmer damned Khmers etc Those days such as:
1. March 18 which is to be called coup d'etat to topple N. Sihanouk. If we remember this day, we should also remember July 5-6 1997 coup d'etat bloodshed also.
2. January 7 should not be commemorated by any specific party in order to cancel the culture of Khmers hate Khmers.
3. But it is chivalrous to remember Khmer independence day from France in November 9, or the Paris Peace Agreement in October 23. These remembrance days significantly benefits Cambodia because these are perfectly independence day from foreigners, and these can build unity for Khmer race.
Cambodian leaders should construct a role model of selflessness in order to inscribe their name in Cambodian history page as well as to provide good example to younger Cambodian youths. By not remembering the days of Khmers divided/disputed/hate Khmers, Cambodia will surely enhance a true unity and forgiveness.
In some narrow thoughts, to remember the days of Khmer hate Khmers offer only the benefit and gain for egoistic political leaders, for the good lessons for young Cambodian youths are just the excuse.
On the other hand, "political alternative" is very important for Cambodians to achieve their ultimate goal in the future. Political leaders have to be changed and mandated. Currently, Sam Rainsy is the emblematic leader who is the future hope of Cambodians that can enhance the concept the "political alternative"
For the sake of Cambodia, political leaders require political will. Your life is too short, political will to build lasting political strength of Cambodia is in your hand.
KY
The inability for Ellis to attend would "lead to a violation of her [Thirith's] fair trial rights" and breach human rights stipulations, according to a defence statement made public by the court.
Good to know that at last the court, the defendant's lawyer and defendent herself do exercise their rights [fair trial rights].
The longer this court drag on ....
the more money these crook pocket them self from donor country .....
Hundred of millions dollars never enough for these thieves ....
HANG them all ,get over it , move on and justice will be served ....Millions of innocent soul never had their say.
Hey, you guys wanted international standard; so don't complaint to us here.
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