PHNOM PENH (AFP) — The former Khmer Rouge foreign minister appeared before the UN-backed Cambodian genocide court Monday to appeal his detention, in a case that poses the first big test for the tribunal.
Ieng Sary, 82, is one of five top regime cadres currently detained for crimes allegedly committed during the Khmer Rouge's 1975-79 rule over Cambodia.
The aged and sickly looking former leader, who has been charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity, walked into court with a cane and needed the help of guards to sit in the dock.
When judges asked him his occupation, he answered: "I am retired."
The hearing was attended by about 300 Cambodian citizens. Heng Sruy, 57, travelled from the southwestern province of Kampot to attend the hearing and said he hoped the court would continue his detention.
"I want to hear Ieng Sary speak the truth," Heng Sruy said. "I lost many relatives under the Khmer Rouge regime. I can't remember how many, but a lot."
At Monday's hearing, Ieng Sary's lawyers plan to seek his release on bail. Later in the week, they are expected to argue that the charges should be dropped because Ieng Sary had received a royal pardon in 1996 in return for surrendering to the government.
As the top Khmer Rouge diplomat, Ieng Sary was frequently the only point of contact between Cambodia's secretive communist rulers and the outside world.
He was also one of the biggest public supporters of the regime's mass purges, researchers say.
Up to two million people died of starvation and overwork, or were executed, as the Khmer Rouge dismantled modern Cambodia after seizing control of the country.
His wife Thirith, who also became a minister in the Khmer Rouge regime, was arrested with him in November.
Ieng Sary has suffered from deteriorating health since his arrest, according to his lawyer, highlighting the fragile condition of the tribunal's likely defendants, who are mostly in their 70s and 80s.
Ieng Sary, 82, is one of five top regime cadres currently detained for crimes allegedly committed during the Khmer Rouge's 1975-79 rule over Cambodia.
The aged and sickly looking former leader, who has been charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity, walked into court with a cane and needed the help of guards to sit in the dock.
When judges asked him his occupation, he answered: "I am retired."
The hearing was attended by about 300 Cambodian citizens. Heng Sruy, 57, travelled from the southwestern province of Kampot to attend the hearing and said he hoped the court would continue his detention.
"I want to hear Ieng Sary speak the truth," Heng Sruy said. "I lost many relatives under the Khmer Rouge regime. I can't remember how many, but a lot."
At Monday's hearing, Ieng Sary's lawyers plan to seek his release on bail. Later in the week, they are expected to argue that the charges should be dropped because Ieng Sary had received a royal pardon in 1996 in return for surrendering to the government.
As the top Khmer Rouge diplomat, Ieng Sary was frequently the only point of contact between Cambodia's secretive communist rulers and the outside world.
He was also one of the biggest public supporters of the regime's mass purges, researchers say.
Up to two million people died of starvation and overwork, or were executed, as the Khmer Rouge dismantled modern Cambodia after seizing control of the country.
His wife Thirith, who also became a minister in the Khmer Rouge regime, was arrested with him in November.
Ieng Sary has suffered from deteriorating health since his arrest, according to his lawyer, highlighting the fragile condition of the tribunal's likely defendants, who are mostly in their 70s and 80s.
8 comments:
MOTHER FUCKER SHOULD DIE IN DETENTION AT LEAST!BEFORE HE GO TO THE BOTTOM OF HELL!
The Vietnamese have learned that in every of their military occupation in Cambodia in the past were always been pushed back by the Khmer Nationalists. Even in Kampuchea Krom that has colonised for generations, thy still feel the rejection by the original Khmers living there. So they have adopted a new strategy: Be very sweet with the Khmer in Kampuchea Krom and create new plan to make "Khmers hate Khmers" in Cambodia. In the same time the spirit of January 7th must be adopted as national holiday in Cambodia to remind all Khmers about what the Vietnamese have done to save Khmers lives from the Khmer Rouges. Through the present Phnom Penh government, the Vietnamese control very closely what is happening in the Khmer Rouge trial in Cambodia. Every outcoming of the court must serve the Vienamese purpose, otherwise the government will interfair. We all Khmer have to be awared of that or we might serve our ennemy's plan. It's a very long time plan and it's seems to be working very good for them.
I was Khmer Rouge victim too, but I take my country's interest first.
12:48am, whatever. cambodia had survived the worse of the worse storms in our history, what makes someone like you think we can't survive for the next millenium years? this is nothing compare to the suffering khmer people endured during the KR era. god bless cambodia and all our beautiful khmer people.
IN MY PERCEPTION,IF POL POT AND HIS CLANS KNOW HOW TO EMBRACE HIS PEOPLE AND IF THEY ADOPTED THE SOCIALIST TYPE OF GOVERNMENT,THE THAI AND VIET WON'T DARE TOUCH US KHMER,BUT TOO BAD HE AND HIS CLANS WAS PRACTICING THE EVIL POLICY AGAINST HIS OWN PEOPLE AND WAS ADOPTING THE DOWNWARD ECONOMIC POLICY.
Ironic to see these former Khmer Rouge leaders try to pray especially since they help orchestrated the demise of about 1.5 million fellow Cambodians, as well as Cambodian heritage, culture, religion and traditions. And I bet those 1.5 million Cambodians prayed everyday but ended up getting killed. How dare these "once" atheist radical communists even try to pray!
I would like to tell all Khmer peoples that, during from 1975 to 1979 Khmer Rough regime death around 3 millions peoples not 6 including Pol Pot Khmer Rough Leaders killed, on that time are A Yuon/Vietnamese killing our Cambodia and from 1979 to 1991, I have lost my Father as well during that time but I am not angry Khmer Rough Leaders at all I know by one of my cousin brother work for A Yuon/Vietnamese secret agent and told me that time are A Yuon/Vietnamese so cruel kill our Khmer/Cambodian, from Cambodian Victim.
5:47PM i wish you can put your setenses more clear than that so you would not sound so stupid! and no wonder your fucking blood are Vietnamese spy just like ah Pol Pot himselfs!
I hate mother fucker Khmer Rouqe as bad as the fucking Vietnamese and I will tell my chidren tahr so they would not be killed in the futur like my parents!
He pray to the wrong God!
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