Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Leaders Face Another Year in Tribunal Jail

Former Khmer Rouge leaders Ieng Thirith, left, and Ieng Sary.

By Kong Sothanarith, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
17 November 2008



Arrested Nov. 12, 2007, former Khmer Rouge minister of foreign affairs, Ieng Sary, and his wife, Ieng Thirith, will see at least another year in detention, according to investigating judges at the Khmer Rouge tribunal.

Meanwhile, Khieu Samphan, the former figurehead of the regime, could face the same extension.

In a decision dated Nov. 10 and announced Monday, tribunal judges You Bunleng and Marcel Lemond explained the necessity of the detention of the leaders, who are facing atrocity crimes charges.

Releasing them could lead to the destruction of evidence, intimidation of witnesses, or the disturbance of public order, the judges said in the decision. The broad dimensions and complications of the cases and seriousness of the crimes against them led to the decision, the judges said.

Phat Touv Siang, defense for Ieng Thirith, said he planned to discuss with his international counterpart the decision.

“We will appeal, because if she remains detained, it will make trouble, physically and psychologically,” he said.

Ang Udom, defense of Ieng Sary, said he was taking an appeal “under consideration.”

“We have one month from now” to file the appeal, he said.

The extension of detention must be decided year by year, over a three-year period.

Ieng Sary, 83, and Ieng Thirith, who is around 67, were arrested together at their Phnom Penh villa and are both charged with crimes against humanity and war crimes.

Khieu Samphan’s one-year detention anniversary is Wednesday.

“Now the court is taking his case under consideration, whether the court will extend his detention or not,” You Bunleng said.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Detaining people without a trial is a Human Right violation.

Anonymous said...

It is O.K for to detained those murders. Don't waste to much time just hang them so my family's soul can rest in peace.

Anonymous said...

All these Khmer Rouges are not real Khmer. They are half Chinese.

Anonymous said...

Well, Real Khmer came from China. You can't expected them to be free of Chinese influence, can ya?

Anonymous said...

This couples are animals

Anonymous said...

That's bullshit 6.55 am. We existed way back before you.

Anonymous said...

Sure if you are Pnong, 7:26. Khmer came from China, just North-East of Burma.

Anonymous said...

Ieng Say was Viet Cong's Agent in the early 60th. Then, Viet Cong instructed him to pretend to break away from them and joined the Khmer group. His mission was, once the Khmer rough take over power in Srok Khmer, manipulate political instability within the regime and make Khmer kill Khmer. That why nearly two million of us was slaughtered. And today, the Viet still has Agents in the current regime and continues to slaughter Khmer every day. Ah Youn chaung bann dey Khmer for their exploded population. They breed like the rabbits these people. So, comment something that will benefit our country Khmer compatriots instead of curse at each other.

Anonymous said...

You're right 8:36AM.
See comment below for the Chinese Delegation Visit to Cambodia:

Mr. Zhang Gaoli – China needs to adopt a more aggressive policy toward the current Vienamization in Cambodia. If not, it will be too late in a few years. Vietnam will surprise your country just as it did in 1979. May I remind you of some events prior to the 1979 Vietnam invasion in Cambodia. According to the Soviet archives, Vietnam was secretly mobilizing over a hundred thousand troops in preparation for the invasion. Vietnamese leadership at the time discussed the invasion plan with the Soviet and East German leaderships. The Soviet and East German leaders expressed concerns about your country intervention to the invasion. The Vietnamese leaders assured them that they would launch a surprise attack and take over the country (Cambodia) within a few days before your country could intervene.

Also, according to the Soviet archives, Vietnamese leadership explicitly told the Soviet leadership that sooner or later Cambodia and Loa would become part of Vietnam, and the three countries, under the Vietnamese administration, would have a new name - IndoChina. To these days, Vietnam has never stopped working to achieve that goal, only it uses different formulae this time. The new country - IndoChina when created - will have a combined population over a hundred millions and will be a significant threat to your border security. For your own interest, please help Cambodia. Throw her a life line and she’ll take it!

Can any one of you send this to Chinese embassy or post it on Chinese government website? Let’s stop criticizing each other and give our beloved country a helping hand.

Desparate Khmer Prey Nokor

Anonymous said...

Indochina Federation is good for the Region.

Anonymous said...

I lost five people in my family so you have to pay me back motherfucker.You fuckingasshole killed lots of khmer people. So you are fucking Siem-Youn.

Anonymous said...

9:33 AM

The Chinese want all their Tep Vong slaves to go back home now. They will be punish with the utmost severity for another thousand years.

Now run infidel slaves your master is in fury.

Anonymous said...

Ah Yuon puppet Ieng Sary, me Thirith, Erng Samlap khmer yang phoy doch vai chh'er, Mech Ah min chang kaw kh'luon Erng tov Ah Roleay kheatakor khmer ?