KRouge leader seeks delay in genocide tribunal hearing

Khmer Rouge leader Nuon Chea (C) sought Monday to delay his first public hearing before Cambodia's genocide tribunal

PHNOM PENH (AFP) — Khmer Rouge leader Nuon Chea sought Monday to delay his first public hearing before Cambodia's genocide tribunal, saying that he needed his foreign lawyer to appeal his detention by the court.

A key member of Nuon Chea's defense team, Dutch attorney Victor Koppe, has yet to be admitted to Cambodia's Bar Association, a requirement for foreign lawyers wishing to represent tribunal defendants.

"If I have only a Cambodian lawyer, it is not consistent with international standards. I believe that if these proceedings go ahead, it is not fair to me," Nuon Chea told tribunal judges.

"I would like to request that the court adjourn the proceedings to a later date," he added, shortly before the judges went behind closed doors to discuss the request.

Nuon Chea, who was Khmer Rouge supreme leader Pol Pot's closest deputy and the alleged architect of the regime's devastating execution policies during its 1975-1979 rule, is charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The court had been scheduled to hear his appeal of his pre-trial detention, which he argues is based on flimsy evidence. The 81-year-old was arrested in September.

But a conflict over his foreign lawyer, Koppe, arose last week when Cambodia's Bar Association refused to admit him.

Bar officials said Koppe signed had court documents before they swore him in, violating the rule that foreign lawyers wishing to represent tribunal defendants must be accepted by the Bar before conducting court business.

On Monday, Nuon Chea's Cambodian lawyer also asked that the hearing be postponed.

"I alone ... cannot accept this hearing because this is an international hearing," Sun Arun said.

Nuon Chea, dressed in a crisp short-sleeved shirt, appeared healthy, standing on his own to answer questions from the judges about his name, age and the names of other family members.

The appearance of the regime's ideologue, the senior-most of the five Khmer Rouge cadre to be arrested so far, marks only the second public hearing since the UN-backed tribunal was convened 18 months ago.

Up to two million people died of starvation and overwork, or were executed by the Khmer Rouge, which dismantled modern Cambodian society in its effort to forge a radical agrarian utopia.

Cities were emptied, their populations exiled onto vast collective farms, while schools were closed, religion banned and the educated classes targeted for extermination.

Delay sought for KRouge leader's first public court hearing

Cambodian and international judges and officials

PHNOM PENH (AFP) — Attorneys for Khmer Rouge leader Nuon Chea said Saturday that they want to delay his first public appearance before the genocide tribunal because of a dispute over a foreign lawyer on his team.

The conflict arose after Cambodia's Bar Association last week refused to admit a member of Nuon Chea's defense team, Dutch attorney Victor Koppe.

Nuon Chea, the 81 year-old former regime ideologue charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity, had been expected to appeal his pre-trial detention on Monday.

But one of his lawyers, Cambodian Sun Arun, said he would seek a postponement Monday.

"I cannot do it alone and win," he told AFP. "It is not possible to proceed with the hearing without foreign lawyers."

Bar officials said Koppe signed had court documents before they swore him in, violating the rule that foreign lawyers wishing to represent tribunal defendants must be accepted by the Bar before conducting court business.

Koppe had petitioned for the removal of pre-trial chamber judge Ney Thol, whom he accused of being "neither independent nor impartial."

Ney Thol serves as president of Cambodia's military court and is a member of the ruling Cambodian People's Party central committee.

Tribunal officials said earlier that the Bar Association's decision would not affect the hearing.

But the threat of delay has renewed concerns over the sluggishness of the UN-backed court, which convened in 2006 after nearly a decade of often stalled talks between Cambodia and the world body.

The first arrests were made only last year.

All five of the former regime leaders currently in custody are elderly and ill, heightening fears that they could die before being tried for crimes committed during their 1975-79 communist regime.

Up to two million people died of starvation and overwork, or were executed by the Khmer Rouge, which dismantled modern Cambodian society in its bid to forge a radical agrarian utopia.

Cities were emptied and their populations exiled onto vast collective farms, while schools were closed, religion banned and the educated classes targeted for extermination.