DPA
Phnom Penh - Cambodia's UN-backed war crimes tribunal on Thursday confirmed indictments against four surviving leaders of the Khmer Rouge movement, clearing the way for their trial to begin.
'We expect that the trial will start during the first half of this year, but the final [date] will have to be set by the trial chamber,' court spokesman Lars Olsen said.
The four, who were arrested in late 2007, are 'Brother Number Two' Nuon Chea, the movement's ideologue; former head of state Khieu Samphan; ex-foreign minister Ieng Sary; and his wife, then-social affairs minister Ieng Thirith.
They are accused of involvement in millions of deaths from execution, disease, starvation and overwork during the Khmer Rouge's 1975-79 Maoist regime.
They face charges of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity as well as an array of crimes under Cambodian law. All four denied the charges.
The genocide charge relates to the persecution of Cham Muslims and ethnic Vietnamese living in Cambodia at the time.
Thursday's announcement followed a series of appeals for release by the defendants from pre-trial detention, which the court rejected. The tribunal confirmed the four would remain in custody.
Given the magnitude of the alleged crimes, the court said it would assess the evidence in several dozen cases deemed representative of crimes committed across the country.
However, the accused are elderly - aged 78 to 84 - and there are fears one or more might die before a trial is concluded. The movement's leader, Pol Pot, died in 1998.
Nuon Chea is also accused of controlling the movement's security apparatus, including the notorious torture centre in Phnom Penh known as S-21, which was run by his subordinate Comrade Duch.
At least 12,273 people died at S-21, condemned to death as perceived enemies of the regime. In July, the court jailed Duch, whose real name is Kaing Guek Eav, for 30 years for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Both the prosecution and Duch's lawyers appealed the ruling, the tribunal's first. Duch's appeal is to be heard in March.
A recent demographic study by the tribunal estimated that 1.7 million to 2.2 million people died under the movement's rule of Cambodia and that 800,000 of those deaths were violent.
3 comments:
Hun Sen was a Khmer Rouge commander and member of the Democratic Kampuchea Pol Pot Khmer Rouge Regime.
Hun Sen is a leader of the Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Khmer Rouge Regime.
Hun Sen was behind the terrorism on March 30, 1997 grenade attack in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
A U.S. citizen Ron Abney was injured during a grenade attack.
Source:
Federal Bureau of Investigation
United States Senate Foreign Committee Investigation
Hun Sen attempted to assassinate Sam Rainsy (leader of opposition party) and Chea Vichea (leader of the Free Trade Union) during grenade attack on March 30, 1997 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Hun Sen is responsible for murdered Chea Vichea (leader of the Free Trade Union).
The Democratic Kampuchea Pol Pot Khmer Rouge Regime is responsible for killing 1.7 million innocent Khmer peoples.
The Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Khmer Rouge Regime is also responsible for killing 1.7 million innocent Khmer peoples and counting.
The Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Khmer Rouge Regime is responsible for extrajudicial execution over 100 members of FUNCINPEC Party.
The Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Khmer Rouge Regime is responsible for murders over 80 members of Sam Rainsy Party.
The Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Khmer Rouge Regime is responsible for murders 3 leaders of the Free Trade Union.
The Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Khmer Rouge Regime is responsible for murders 10 journalists
The Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Khmer Rouge Regime is responsible for murders at least 16 innocent Khmer peoples during a grenade attack on March 30, 1997 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Democratic Kampuchea Pol Pot Khmer Rouge Regime's leaders and members:
Pol Pot
Nuon Chea
Ieng Sary
Ta Mok
Khieu Samphan
Son Sen
Ieng Thearith
Kaing Guek Eav aka Samak Mith Duch
Chea Sim
Heng Samrin
Hor Namhong aka Samak Mith Yaem
Keat Chhon
Ouk Bunchhoeun
Sim Ka aka Samak Mith Muth
Hun Sen...
Source:
DC-CAM
Document Center of Cambodia
On October 7, 2009 Chea Sim, Heng Samrin, Hor Namhong, Keat Chhon, Ouk Bunchhoeun and Sim Ka has been summoned by the U.N.-backed Khmer Rouge Tribunal court (ECCC).
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