May 02, 2008By Chheang Bopha
Ka-set.info
Unofficial translation from French by Luc Sâr
Click here to read the original article in French
Click here to read the original article in Khmer
Lawyers obtained for their clients – Ieng Sary and his wife Ieng Thirith, both of whom jailed at the ECCC – the right to see each other. The couple complained about their separation.
“In vain, we made this request several times to the co-judges who argued that their meeting can impede the investigation. Finally, they granted them the right to meet each other for 45 minutes once a week, but for us, this is still insufficient,” Me Ang Udom, one of Ieng Sary’s defense lawyers, summarized on Friday 02 May.
Suddenly, the couple sent another appeal to the court which, on 30 April, agreed to their request, based on the ECCC internal rules. “They can now see each other each time they ask for it,” Me Ang Udom rejoiced.
The ECCC justified its decision on the fact that the couple was married for 57 years already and they were brought to court for crimes committed 30 years ago, therefore Ieng Sary and Thirith would already have the time to touch upon the roles they played under the Democratic Kampuchea regime, and to exchange with each other information about this period.
According to Reach Sambath, ECCC spokesman, Ieng Sary and his wife saw each other at least 3 times since mid-March. “Now, they will see each other more often, this will help them psychologically,” Reach Sambath added while saying that among the 5 (KR leaders) currently detained by the ECCC, only Duch does not receive any close relatives.
“In vain, we made this request several times to the co-judges who argued that their meeting can impede the investigation. Finally, they granted them the right to meet each other for 45 minutes once a week, but for us, this is still insufficient,” Me Ang Udom, one of Ieng Sary’s defense lawyers, summarized on Friday 02 May.
Suddenly, the couple sent another appeal to the court which, on 30 April, agreed to their request, based on the ECCC internal rules. “They can now see each other each time they ask for it,” Me Ang Udom rejoiced.
The ECCC justified its decision on the fact that the couple was married for 57 years already and they were brought to court for crimes committed 30 years ago, therefore Ieng Sary and Thirith would already have the time to touch upon the roles they played under the Democratic Kampuchea regime, and to exchange with each other information about this period.
According to Reach Sambath, ECCC spokesman, Ieng Sary and his wife saw each other at least 3 times since mid-March. “Now, they will see each other more often, this will help them psychologically,” Reach Sambath added while saying that among the 5 (KR leaders) currently detained by the ECCC, only Duch does not receive any close relatives.
