Brother No. 2 bail hearing set for February

Nuon Chea Release Hearing Set for February, Lawyer Says

By Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer
Original report from Washington
19 December 2007

The Khmer Rouge tribunal will hold a public hearing on the pre-trial release of jailed ideologue Nuon Chea in February, the defendant's lawyer said Wednesday.

The Pre-Trial Chamber of the tribunal courts have summoned Nuon Chea for a hearing Feb. 4, lawyer Son Arun told VOA Khmer.

Nuon Chea, 81, is seeking bail to be released from tribunal custody ahead of his atrocity crimes trial; he is charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Hisham Mousar, who monitors the tribunal for the rights group Adhoc, said Wednesday the courts should hold a hearing as soon as possible, before investigating judges are backlogged with work from the other jailed suspects, including former foreign minister Ieng Sary and former nominal head Khieu Samphan.

Nuon Chea could face a high number of civil cases against him, Hisham Mousar said.

The first to be charged, Kaing Khek Iev, or Duch, had no civil cases lodged against him, he added.

Seng Theary Brings Personal Suit for 'Justice, Honor'

Civic Leader Brings Personal Suit for 'Justice, Honor'

Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer
Washington
01 November 2007

Click here to listen to Sok Khemara hosts 'Hello VOA' in Khmer

Seng Theary, executive director of the Center for Social Develop, is among the first to file a civil suit against the Khmer Rouge, the activist said Thursday.

The suit, filed against Khmer Rouge ideologue Nuon Chea for the death of her mother, father, uncle, aunts and other relatives, has been received by the tribunal, Seng Theary said, speaking Thursday as a guest on "Hello VOA."

It was an individual complaint to "demand justice and honor," she said, but it could just as well as be for 1.7 million others who were killed during the regime.

"I want the Khmer Rouge leaders to recognize their wrongdoings, what they have committed, leading our country in its decent into Hell," she said.

Many ex-Khmer Rouge leaders have made excuses and denied any knowledge of wrongdoing, she said. "That's hard to believe."

Victims can participate in the Khmer Rouge tribunal in three ways, she said: as a witness, as a plaintiff for a criminal case and as a party to a civil suit.

A witness will only give testimony to the courts, Seng Theary said, but are not party to criminal or civil cases.