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| Former Khmer Rouge leader "Brother Number Two" Nuon Chea |
AFP
PHNOM PENH — Three top Khmer Rouge leaders made a rare joint appearance before Cambodia's UN-backed war crimes court on Monday to seek release from custody while they await trial for genocide.
"Brother Number Two" Nuon Chea and ex-social affairs minister Ieng Thirith looked frail as they sat in the courtroom with former head of state Khieu Samphan, underscoring fears that not all the defendants, aged 78 to 85, will live to see a verdict.
Along with a fourth accused they face charges of war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and related crimes under Cambodian laws in connection with the deaths of up to two million people between 1975 and 1979 from starvation, overwork and execution.
Lawyers for the three called for their "immediate release", claiming their continued detention was illegal because the defendants had not been brought to trial four months after their indictments were issued.
While the accused are not seeking to have the charges dropped, acting co-lawyer Jasper Pauw said "there are no conceivable reasons to keep Nuon Chea in custody", in comments echoed by the other two defence teams.
A pale-looking Ieng Thirith, sometimes described as the "First Lady" of the Khmer Rouge, left the courtroom almost as soon as proceedings began, referring to a written statement instead and waiving her right to attend the hearing.
Nuon Chea, who wore sunglasses to protect his eyes from the light, suffered a dizzy spell and was sent back to the court's detention facility on medical advice.
Khieu Samphan was the only defendant to address the judges. "Please abide by the law," he said.
Absent from the hearing was fellow accused Ieng Sary, the regime's former foreign minister and Ieng Thirith's husband. His lawyers recently requested half-day trial sessions, claiming their client was too ill to spend full days in court.
All four defendants have been detained since they were arrested in 2007.
A ruling on their request is expected in the coming weeks, though observers believe releasing them could cause an uproar in Cambodia.
The upcoming trial, the tribunal's second, is due to start in the first half of this year and is expected to be a lengthy and complex one with all four former leaders disputing the charges against them.
It follows the landmark July conviction of former Tuol Sleng prison chief Kaing Guek Eav, better known as Duch, for war crimes and crimes against humanity for his role in the deaths of around 15,000 men, women and children.
5 comments:
In the picture, I am innocent why you guy accuse me for, I just killed 3 millions and we had 4 million left.
I was not allowed Viet occupied our country, my camarade HS did that, please let him face the trial not me.
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.
Its not worth to put this old fuck in jail, chop him into pieces or tire him up to the tree, let people stone him one by one til bleedin to death...How many cambodian died and suffered from this son of a bitch..!?
Khmer Rouge destroyed everything! I would like to see these people suffering the same thing, no foods, working 24 hours a day without break, i wish these people suffer the same way we all did...
ក្រោយពិបានស្តាប់សំដីរបស់ខៀវសំផន
យើងចង់ដឹងដែរថា៖ តើក្មេង៦ពាន់នាក់ ដែលប្រម៉ាត់ប្រម៉ង់យួនបានចាប់ទៅ កាលពីឆ្នាំ១៩៥៣-៥៤នោះ មានអ្នកណាខ្លះ? ក្នុងជួរខ្មែរក្រហម និងក្នុងជួររដ្ឋាភិបាល លោកហ៊ុនសែនសព្វថ្ងៃ?
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