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| Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen speaks to reporters during a news conference at the Council of Ministers in Phnom Penh July 22, 2011. Credit: Reuters/Samrang Pring/Files |
Mon Oct 24, 2011
PHNOM PENH (Reuters) - Lawyers for the second-in-command of Cambodia's former Khmer Rouge regime on Monday filed a lawsuit against the prime minister and top government officials for perceived interference in a U.N.-backed war crimes tribunal.
The filing of the lawsuit with the Phnom Penh Municipal Court was the latest twist in a multi-million dollar tribunal fraught with controversy since it was set up seven years ago to try those "most responsible" for the brutal deaths of an estimated 1.7 million Cambodians during the Khmer Rouge "killing fields" era from 1975-1979.
The legal team of Nuon Chea, 85, better known as "brother number two", said Prime Minister Hun Sen and top officials had unlawfully tried to block certain witnesses from testifying and sought to prevent further cases from going to court.
In a statement, Nuon Chea's lawyers accused the ministers of having a "common criminal plan" that amounted to interfering with justice and the defendants' rights to a fair trial.
The court is expected to have spent about $150 million by the end of the year and has handed down just one sentence, a 35-year jail term commuted to 19 years for Kaing Guek Eav, alias Duch, for his role in the deaths of more than 14,000 people at the notorious S-21 torture centre in Phnom Penh.
German judge Siegfried Blunk resigned on Oct. 9 because of what he said was interference by Hun Sen, Information Minister Khieu Kanharith and Foreign Minister Hor Namhong in their public opposition to the court pursuing further cases.
The United Nations Undersecretary General for Legal Affairs, Patricia O'Brien, visited Cambodia last week and urged the government to "refrain from interfering in any way whatsoever with the judicial process".
Government spokesman Keo Remy said Blunk's resignation was the result of pressure by certain Western media and rights groups and said his comments were "baseless and artificial".
The current trial, known as 002, involves Nuon Chea, the right-hand man to the "killing fields" architect, Pol Pot, former President Khieu Samphan, ex-Foreign Minister Ieng Sary and his wife, Ieng Thirith, who was social affairs minister.
Opening statements in their trial on charges that include war crimes and crimes against humanity will be heard on Nov. 21. All are elderly and in poor health and many Cambodians believe they will die before a verdict is reached.
(Reporting by Prak Chan Thul; Editing by Martin Petty)
7 comments:
Hun Sen is interfering in this case because he is the main suspect in this case that why he has to blocked its.
Thaksin fortune teller told HUN SEN that his day will come from 2012-2015. His doom days is looming.
Dicktator day is out number.
Because alots of people from everywhere put too much pressure on Hun Xen, he might have a heart attack and die or parallized, that's not good for our strong man. He's so strong with only Cambodian poor people But he can't stand up with VN.
Ah Chor Prey Kwack needs to go back to the jungle!!
When you called your own people Dog that means you are Chor Prey.
Gadhafi is waiting for you in a new Mansion with so many Virgin Girls. You better hurry up!!
AH FUCKING HUN SEN MUST SERVE HIS CRIME! BUT CHINA AND VIETNAME IS CAMBODIA BEST FRIEND, THEY LIKE FREE LAND!
Why this ECCC always has problems:
Why Hun Sen Keep interfering this ECCC?
I really feel sorry for the UN who has been under the pressures and influences from both side of Hanoi and US.
It is very clear that Hun Sen has been interfering this ECCC for long to block the ECCC court process so fully and openly public hearing of Case 002 never take place .
For many Khmer or Cambodian we all know that who really behind Hun Sen , We all know that Hanoi has been behind Hun Sen but Hanoi , Hun Sen alone cannot play this show trial if US ( behind ) UN do not turning blind eyes or do not giving green light to this Hanoi ECCC.
So this is Hanoi-US ECCC in Cambodia.
This is a show trial. So we the victim must stop wonder why this ECCC always has problems
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