By SOPHENG CHEANG
PHNOM PENH (AP) — Attorneys have asked the U.N.-backed Khmer Rouge genocide tribunal for permission to interview Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and former King Norodom Sihanouk, according to confidential documents obtained Monday.
The request was made by the defense team for Nuon Chea, the main ideologist of the regime whose 1975-1979 rule left an estimated 1.7 million Cambodians dead.
The long-delayed tribunal begins its first trial later this month, while the trial for Nuon Chea — charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity and facing life imprisonment — is expected to begin later this year.
The confidential court documents obtained by The Associated Press also request testimony from current senate president Chea Sim and assembly president Heng Samrin. Both men, along with Hun Sen, were members of the Khmer Rouge regime but defected to Vietnam before it was ousted.
"They are likely in possession of much relevant information to the pending judicial investigation," one of the documents said. All have denied any role in atrocities.
Hun Sen, who has ruled Cambodia for more than two decades, was a former Khmer Rouge soldier who fled to Vietnam in 1977 and became prime minister of a Vietnamese-installed communist government after the regime's fall.
Son Arun, Nuon Chea's Cambodian attorney, confirmed the authenticity of the documents but said he had not personally filed the request, an apparent effort to distance himself from the move to put Cambodia's strongman on the stand.
The defense team said that the 86-year-old former King Sihanouk, who briefly served as a symbolic head of state after the Khmer Rouge took power, had "rare access to the Khmer Rouge leadership, their strategies and policies" and was "privy to a range of sensitive information."
The tribunal's first trial, scheduled to begin March 30, is for 65-year-old Kaing Guek Eav, better known as Duch, who headed the Khmer Rouge's largest torture center. Later trials will be held for Khieu Samphan, the group's former head of state; Ieng Sary, its foreign minister; and his wife Ieng Thirith, who was minister for social affairs.
The request was made by the defense team for Nuon Chea, the main ideologist of the regime whose 1975-1979 rule left an estimated 1.7 million Cambodians dead.
The long-delayed tribunal begins its first trial later this month, while the trial for Nuon Chea — charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity and facing life imprisonment — is expected to begin later this year.
The confidential court documents obtained by The Associated Press also request testimony from current senate president Chea Sim and assembly president Heng Samrin. Both men, along with Hun Sen, were members of the Khmer Rouge regime but defected to Vietnam before it was ousted.
"They are likely in possession of much relevant information to the pending judicial investigation," one of the documents said. All have denied any role in atrocities.
Hun Sen, who has ruled Cambodia for more than two decades, was a former Khmer Rouge soldier who fled to Vietnam in 1977 and became prime minister of a Vietnamese-installed communist government after the regime's fall.
Son Arun, Nuon Chea's Cambodian attorney, confirmed the authenticity of the documents but said he had not personally filed the request, an apparent effort to distance himself from the move to put Cambodia's strongman on the stand.
The defense team said that the 86-year-old former King Sihanouk, who briefly served as a symbolic head of state after the Khmer Rouge took power, had "rare access to the Khmer Rouge leadership, their strategies and policies" and was "privy to a range of sensitive information."
The tribunal's first trial, scheduled to begin March 30, is for 65-year-old Kaing Guek Eav, better known as Duch, who headed the Khmer Rouge's largest torture center. Later trials will be held for Khieu Samphan, the group's former head of state; Ieng Sary, its foreign minister; and his wife Ieng Thirith, who was minister for social affairs.
6 comments:
Can these three killers bravely testify noting, but the truth, behalf of their own criminals? No, they ain't want to play like that, therefore, the Khmer tribunal must once again be jestfully delayed!
If you voted for CPP (Cambodian People's Party):
Also known as:
Communist People's Party
Khmer Rouge People's Party
Khmer Krorhorm People's Party
You're support the killing of 1.7 million innocent Khmer peoples in Cambodia.
You're support the killing of innocent men, women and children on March 30, 1997 in Cambodia.
You're support assassination of journalists in Cambodia.
You're support political assassination and killing in Cambodia.
You're support attempted assassination and murder of leader of the free trade union in Cambodia.
You're support corruption in Cambodia.
You're support murder of Piseth Pilika (Hun Sen's affaire).
You're support Hun Sen Regime burn poor people's house down to the ground and leave them homeless.
Hun Sen, Chea Sim and Heng Samrin was a former Khmer Rouge commanders.
Now, Hun Sen, Chea Sim and Heng Samrin are Khmer Rouge leaders, since their leader (Pol Pot) is dead.
From 1975 to 1979, these Khmer Rouge commanders responsible for killing 1.7 million innocent Khmer peoples in Cambodia.
From 1980 to present, these Khmer Rouge leaders responsible for killing innocent men, women and children on March 30, 1997, assassinated journalists, political assassination and killing, murder of Piseth Pilika (Hun Sen's affaire) and attempted assassinated and murder of leader of the free trade union in Cambodia.
When is the ECCC going to bring these three criminals to U.N. Khmer Rouge Tribunal?
Khmer Rouge Regime is a genocide organization.
Hun Sen Regime is a terrorist organization.
Hun Sen Bodyguards is a terrorist organization.
Hun Sen Death Squad is a terrorist organization.
Cambodian People's Party is a terrorist organization.
I have declare the current Cambodian government which is lead by the Cambodian People's Party as a terrorist organization.
Whoever associate with the current Cambodian government are associate with a terrorist organization.
Hun Sen's government committed:
Human Rights Abuses
Human Trafficking
Under Age Child Sex
Drugs Trafficking
Intimidation
Death Threat
Assassination
Murder
Killing
Terrorism
Mass Eviction, by burn poor people's house down to the ground and leave them homeless.
Land Grabbing
Corruptions
Injustice
Illegal Firearms
Illegal Logging
Steal Votes
Violates the Constitution
These are the Trade Marks of Hun Sen Regime.
Under Hun Sen Regime, no criminals that has been committed murder and all other crimes within Hun Sen's government ever been brought to justice.
Information change without notice as it become available.
Yes 12:10 AM you are 100% right,
Hun Sen
Heng Samrin
Chea Sim
This Khmer Rouge leader should stand trial too.
Wake up Cambodan people. Since when the dictators in power can be challenged by their own court?
It is only in the Movie not the reality.
Thank you 1:00
These three criminals in Phnom Penh must be prosecute.
You must be kidding 7 10 am?
The last time I saw Hun Sen from a quarter mile away his body guards are surrounding me checking for a bomb. Keep your good dream comes true another 1000 more years.
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