Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Nuon Chea Defense Seeks End to 'Political Interference'

Brother No. 2 during his heyday
Kong Sothanarith, VOA Khmer
Phnom Penh Monday, 15 November 2010

The international defense team for Nuon Chea is seeking the urgent intervention of the UN to end what it says is political interference in the defendant's upcoming trial.

In a letter sent Thursday to UN special rights envoy Surya Subedi and to the special rapporteur on judges and lawyers, Gabriela Carina Knaul de Albuquerque e Silva, defense attorneys said the reticence of six government officials to answer court summonses was harmful to their client.

The defense lawyers, Victor Koppe and Michiel Pestman, said they were making an “urgent appeal” to the government “implement your recommendations with specific reference to the importance of ensuring the integrity of the [tribunal] proceeding.”


Nuon Chea is expected to see trial for atrocity crimes in early 2011, along with three other senior Khmer Rouge leaders now in custody. With the trial fast approaching, the defense said it needed restraint from further interference.

Jasper Pauw, a consultant for Nuon Chea's team, said there have been “many credible allegations of political interference,” but none of them had yet been recognized by the court.

Neither of the rapporteurs was immediately available for comment, but Pauw said they had acknowledged receipt of the defense request.

Tribunal spokesman Lars Olsen said the special rapporteurs did not have a mandate to intervene, calling the appeal the “job of the defense team.”

“The Khmer Rouge tribunal is independent of the government, of the UN, of the special rapporteur,” Olsen said. “The Khmer Rouge tribunal makes decisions based on the law and nothing else.”

Government spokesman Phay Siphan called the appeal “just an accusation to jeopardized the [next trial's] proceedings.”

Nuon Chea, 84, is charged with war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, for his role in the Khmer Rouge. He is charged alongside former leaders Khieu Samphan, Ieng Sary and Ieng Thirith.

7 comments:

cpp Non pro hanoi.......PP said...

Me,too Mr. Noun CHea and your team. I would seek end to political interference.

Here come summon calling VIET Nam who killed 2millions Khmer to world court also.

WE condemn VIet Nam and HUN SEN for corrupt world peace.

Hun Sen must pay for his killings.

Bun Runy must pay for her killing of Mrs. Piseth Pilika.

Bun Runny is a killer.
Hun Sen is a killer.

CPP is destroyed Khmer land
CPP is Criminal People Party

we need to get of CPP once for all.

cpp Non pro hanoi.......PP

Anonymous said...

Vietnam govt was/is million Khmer people killers since 1929 and up to now. How to stop Viet killing Khmer? Asking Khmer around the world,and Khmer inside the country,will we keep Viet to kill us? Would we want to kill them back?

Anonymous said...

the KR official uniform is so ugly, and they made all khmer people during their brutal period to wear all black like the above picture. they were so dumb and stupid in those days for sure! they all now go to hell and never to return to cambodia again!

Anonymous said...

LONG LIVE VIET NAM

Anonymous said...

LONG LIVE VIET NAM... let our brothers and sisters who hold all level of officials cambodian government position to take full control of this useless country and make it into our new viet nam provinces. LONG LIVE VIET NAM..Thank to HUN SEN for doing a good work to take more money from china..

thank also to His Excellency SOK Sihpana, Phay Siphan and Sarin Denora for their lip services and manipulates international communities for our vietnam interest.

Anonymous said...

Now we have ECCC or KR Trials but this historical court can not do their job because Hun Sen has kept inferring.

Personally I am sure the others four senior Khmer Rouge await for trial can not have their last talk.

They all will be jailed for the rest of their lives .

But for Khmer victim we want to hear them talk .

Anonymous said...

To Those Who's in the KR committed crime aginst Humanity may never have peace thru life and after death, you piece of shit.