DPA
Phnom Penh - Cambodia's international war crimes tribunal said Monday that it would rule by mid-February on an appeal for provisional release by three aging Khmer Rouge leaders.
Lawyers for the former leaders, who were arrested in 2007, argued that rules governing the court dictated that their clients should be freed immediately to await the trial expected later this year.
They argued an earlier ruling that the four former Khmer Rouge shoul remain in custody breached the court's rules.
Former Khmer Rouge head of state Khieu Samphan addressed the court briefly.
'I have just one suggestion,' he said. 'Please abide by the law.'
Four senior Khmer Rouge leaders are in pre-trial detention. All are elderly, with the youngest aged 78, and observers fear one or more might die before their trial concludes.
Nuon Chea, the movement's former ideologue, was also in court Monday but left early complaining of dizziness. Ieng Thirith, the social affairs minister, appeared in court but departed after waiving her right to be present.
Former foreign minister Ieng Sary has not appealed his detention.
Earlier this month, the tribunal confirmed the indictments against the four, clearing the way for their trial to begin on charges of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.
The tribunal's pre-trial chamber had ruled on January 13 that the four should remain in custody.
The prosecution opposed the application for release, saying the judges at Monday's hearing lacked the authority to overrule the decision by their colleagues at the pre-trial chamber.
International prosecutor Andrew Cayley also cited fears over witness intimidation.
'Given (Nuon Chea's) position within Democratic Kampuchea, he could put pressure on witnesses, especially those under his authority (at the time),' Cayley said.
Khieu Samphan's lawyer, Sar Sovan, said his client would not flee and would not intimidate witnesses.
'What my client did was for the country,' he said.
'You say if he is released there will be outrage,' said Sar Sovan, addressing the prosecution. 'At the least my client should be released on bail. It is not good if you use this as revenge.'
The four ex-officials are accused of responsibility for millions of deaths from execution, disease, starvation and overwork during the Khmer Rouge's 1975-79 Maoist regime. All four deny the charges.
A recent demographic study by the tribunal estimated that there were between 1.7 million and 2.2 million deaths in that period, 800,000 of which were violent.
The genocide charges relate to the persecution of Cham Muslims and ethnic Vietnamese living in Cambodia at the time.
The movement's leader, Pol Pot, died in 1998.
3 comments:
While acknowledging the mass atrocities committed by the Khmer Rouge regime, we should never forget the level of atrocities committed during the US secretive bombing of Cambodia from 1968-1973. A declassified telephone discussion between Henry Kissinger and General Alexander Haig, Nixon's deputy assistant for national security affairs, recorded that Nixon had ordered a “massive bombing campaign in Cambodia [to use] anything that flys [sic] on anything that moves”.
The map of US bombing targets released by Yale University’s Cambodian Genocide Program shows that more than half of the country was affected by the indiscriminate bombings. Professor Ben Kierman, director of the program, puts the casualties figure from the bombing at 150,000 deaths, while Edward Herman, a professor of Wharton School, and Noam Chomsky put the toll at 600,000 using figures provided by a Finnish Commission of Inquiry.
Based on this, we can never naively claim that US bombing led to the mass executions by the Khmer Rouge or refuted the regime's mass atrocities. But, to certain extent, the blanket bombing, which directly led to the destruction of livestock and agricultural land, could have definitely played a role in the mass starvation.
From new data released during the Clinton administration, Taylor Owen, a doctoral student at Oxford University, and Professor Kierman noted that 2,756,941 tons of bombs were dropped on Cambodia.
To put the figure into perspective, just over 2 million tons of bombs were dropped by the allies during all of World War II. The bombs dropped in Cambodia represented about 184 Hiroshima atomic bombs combined, making Cambodia the most bombed nation in the world. Based on the new data, Professor Kierman also stressed that the casualties might be much higher than his earlier predicted 150,000.
Why he seeks for lawyer while Khmer people died under his regime without mercy, without mistakes NO JUDGE, NO LAW.
I want him read this comment. He insulted America and he put Khmer people under China's slaves. He was happy with his Chinese boss communist.
He is very well educated from France, he should has conscience.
"Khieu Sam Phan, because of your revenge with Sihanouk that tortured you in prison and made you shame in public(way srat Khor Av by Sihanouk's police), so you turned your head to China even with Youn for help to revenge Khmer people in general because you don't have Khmer blood.I know ur family and your parents well. You are a cold blood murderer. Before, you were kind to khmer people, because you were born in Cambodia and nationalist, I acknowledge. But you have changed, because you were intimidated by Sihanouk. So you seeked for revenge to all Khmer people. You can hide to others but not me because I am one of your neighbor and know you well"
From One of your old friend that supported you and had been tortured and died under your regime and also your sister's ex fiance.You have made serious mistake Sam Phan. Don't try for excuses. If it was not your fault why you don't have the courage to tell the truth in front of the public or you want to hide something or protect someone and you make the whole Khmer victim of your act. You are really a coward and very hypocrit. You are not supposed to be a politician
The sole survivor is his sister who make this comment.
Can you reply or your family can reply?
I wish for all Khmer people to stop to revenge each other because of political reason.
We need to share our common goal to restore the country rather than pointing finger to each other that nearly all of us experienced from the killing field.
I want to go to his hearing in the
Court and ask him some question if I am allowed because I am really very angry.
Dear Dr. Hun Sen and Ten Thousands stars Dr. Hun Manet,
Why do you and your relatives give Kos Trol, sea and lands to Vietnam? Why? and Why?
Why do you and all of your relatives involve a lot of murder cases in Cambodia? Why? Why?
Why do you murder Cambodian K5, 1997 events and so on and so on with lost count? Why?
If you are so good why do you and your families murder Cambodians? Why? And Why?
If you are so good, why do above 90% Cambodians are so poor but you and your relatives are billionaires and millionaires? Why? Why?
Why do you try to kill people from telling the true? Why? Why?
What is the difference from Khmer Rough and you, Sir?
If you are so good why do you block KI from Cambodians?
If you are so good, why do you steal all Cambodian life such as well being, health, cut down Cambodians life expectancy as well? But you and your small group are eat well, sleep well, exercise well, have oversea doctors and best medical treatment from high class private doctors from oversea. Most Cambodians that have no money, your healthcare system left Cambodians patients to die in front of your hospital. Why? Why?
If you are so good why more than 6 millions Vietnamese are living permanently in Cambodia, right now? Why, Dr. Hen Sen? And Why
Everywhere, I walk in Cambodia I see Vietnamese speak Vietnamese every where, why? Why?
Don't you and your families scare of hell for eternity?
When you die can you bring all of your power and money with you?
Dr. Hun Sen and Dr. Big ass lady and his beloved Dr. Hun Manet Please don't put us in jail or kill us for this! We want to live like you and your families do!
Khmers victim of 1997 and K5
PS
If Dr. Hun Sen and Dr. Hun Manet remove the tablet it is show they are extremely coward and his star are just joy stars given by his daddy not by patriotism. Dr. Hun Manet is very coward as his daddy they only aim to kill innocent Cambodians that all. Dr. Hun SEn and Dr. ten stars Hun Manet are very great at bullying Cambodians and killing Cambodians but cowardly toward Thai and Viet.
CPP are not just corrupted, CPP are extremely corrupt. They are even sell the country such as Kos Trol, Seas, lands, Cambodian people, Cambodian health and well being, all resources in the Cambodia…with lost count. You name it!
Seriously where is the win win policy of Dr. Hun Sen represent? The country is getting smaller and smaller and shame by Dr. Hun Sen and Dr. Hun Manet and his families, his relatives and friends.
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