By Huy Vannak
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
Click here to read the article in Khmer
ECCC judges plan to review the disagreements between the co-prosecutors regarding the investigation into additional KR leaders.
An official from the ECCC indicated that in June, ECCC judges plan to hold a hearing to resolve the disagreements between the Cambodian and International co-prosecutors. The latter requested for additional investigations on a number of former KR leaders involved.
On Tuesday, Reach Sambath, ECCC spokesman, said that this case is already in the hands of the ECCC judges. Reach Sambath said: “Therefore, the ECC will decide in June on whether to charge additional suspects or not. According to the internal rule, this decision meeting will be held behind closed door, but the International co-prosecutor said that there could be some open issues and some issues will be held behind closed door. This does not depend on any of the parties involved, but it depends on the law and the decision made by the ECCC.”
At the beginning of this year, Robert Petit, the International co-prosecutor requested to investigate additional KR leaders. Reports indicated that there could be 6 additional KR leader cases.
Robert Petit claimed that these criminals should be investigated by the investigating judges, and he also said that these additional cases will shed a large wide understanding into the KR regime.
However, Chea Leang, the Cambodian co-prosecutor, opposed this request. She based her argument on the preservation of political stability in Cambodia, and also to preserve the national reconciliation spirit.
Chea Leang’s opposition was met by criticism from a number of national and international civil society groups which called it a political interference.
Nevertheless, Khieu Kanharith, the minister of Information and government spokesman, said that the government wants to see the ECCC moving forward with its current agenda.
Khieu Kanharith said: “The KRT agenda means what was set with the UN and that the trial will follow what we agreed on, and also on the number of people that we already agreed on. And we also agreed to use the Cambodian law as the first priority. We call this as having a prior character for our agenda.”
The KR regime caused the unfair death of about 1.7 million people 30 years ago. Up until now, 5 KR leaders are incarcerated while waiting for their trials. Currently, the ECCC is conducting the trial for Kaing Kek Iev, also known as Duch, the former Tuol Sleng prison chief.
An official from the ECCC indicated that in June, ECCC judges plan to hold a hearing to resolve the disagreements between the Cambodian and International co-prosecutors. The latter requested for additional investigations on a number of former KR leaders involved.
On Tuesday, Reach Sambath, ECCC spokesman, said that this case is already in the hands of the ECCC judges. Reach Sambath said: “Therefore, the ECC will decide in June on whether to charge additional suspects or not. According to the internal rule, this decision meeting will be held behind closed door, but the International co-prosecutor said that there could be some open issues and some issues will be held behind closed door. This does not depend on any of the parties involved, but it depends on the law and the decision made by the ECCC.”
At the beginning of this year, Robert Petit, the International co-prosecutor requested to investigate additional KR leaders. Reports indicated that there could be 6 additional KR leader cases.
Robert Petit claimed that these criminals should be investigated by the investigating judges, and he also said that these additional cases will shed a large wide understanding into the KR regime.
However, Chea Leang, the Cambodian co-prosecutor, opposed this request. She based her argument on the preservation of political stability in Cambodia, and also to preserve the national reconciliation spirit.
Chea Leang’s opposition was met by criticism from a number of national and international civil society groups which called it a political interference.
Nevertheless, Khieu Kanharith, the minister of Information and government spokesman, said that the government wants to see the ECCC moving forward with its current agenda.
Khieu Kanharith said: “The KRT agenda means what was set with the UN and that the trial will follow what we agreed on, and also on the number of people that we already agreed on. And we also agreed to use the Cambodian law as the first priority. We call this as having a prior character for our agenda.”
The KR regime caused the unfair death of about 1.7 million people 30 years ago. Up until now, 5 KR leaders are incarcerated while waiting for their trials. Currently, the ECCC is conducting the trial for Kaing Kek Iev, also known as Duch, the former Tuol Sleng prison chief.
