By Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer Original report from Phnom Penh
23 April 2008
The Khmer Rouge tribunal delayed a decision on the pre-trial release of jailed leader Khieu Samphan Wednesday, after warning controversial lawyer Jacques Verges about his behavior, an official said.
Verges is a French lawyer known for his defense of notorious figures, support of anti-colonialist groups and friendship with Pol Pot.
Khieu Samphan, 76, was the nominal head of the Khmer Rouge and faces charges of crimes against humanity and war crimes. He stood as he faced questions from Pre-Trial Chamber judges.
“I have had no job since leaving the jungle,” he said, an apparent reference to his life in Pailin following the collapse of the regime. “I have only my wife, who has struggled to feed me and my family.”
Verges is a French lawyer known for his defense of notorious figures, support of anti-colonialist groups and friendship with Pol Pot.
Khieu Samphan, 76, was the nominal head of the Khmer Rouge and faces charges of crimes against humanity and war crimes. He stood as he faced questions from Pre-Trial Chamber judges.
“I have had no job since leaving the jungle,” he said, an apparent reference to his life in Pailin following the collapse of the regime. “I have only my wife, who has struggled to feed me and my family.”
3 comments:
Verges is a French lawyer known for his defense of notorious figures, support of anti-colonialist groups and friendship with Pol Pot.
Whether or not he was a friend of Pol Pot is not really the question people should have talked about but rather his tacticful in arguing for the release of his client whereas he technically thought that the detention is illegal according to the charter of applicable law.
If the ECCC try Khieu Samphan first, I think Verges going to drag out the trial until everyone croak. Rule of law can be a dirty business sometime.
It was just a pretext used by the French lawyer to block the tribunal process.
I respect French Language, which is a very rich and refined one. But don't play "Francophony policy" in the ECCC.
Verges surely knows English like many French intelectuals, but he wanted to play Francophony in the Tribunal.
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