(Kyodo) - Cambodia plans to announce on Thursday national and international judges and prosecutors for a tribunal to try former Khmer Rouge leaders, according to a government minister.
Justice Minister Ang Vong Vathana told Kyodo News that the announcement of local and foreign judicial officers will be made at the first meeting of the nine-member Supreme Council of Magistracy on the issue in the Royal Palace, to be chaired by King Norodom Sihamoni.
The minister, who is a member of the council, also said that the number of Cambodian judges and prosecutors will be between 16 and 18.
According to the list of U.N.-appointed nominees, a copy of which was seen by Kyodo News, 12 foreign judicial officers including their reserves will sit on the two trial chambers set to cost $56.3 million.
Of them, full-time foreign judges and their reserves are from New Zealand, the United States, Sri Lanka, Japan, France, Austria and Poland, the list shows.
According to the 2003 agreement between the United Nations and Cambodia, the planned three-year trial will consist of two trial chambers -- the Trial Chamber and Supreme Court.
Three Cambodian judges and two foreign judges will sit in the Trial Chamber, while four Cambodians and three foreign judges will sit in the Supreme Court.
Although no date has been set, both Cambodia and the United Nations have said the trial would begin sometime in the middle of next year.
Khmer Rouge leaders are blamed for the deaths of more than 1.7 million Cambodians in the late 1970s.
Only two senior Khmer Rouge figures are in custody -- former military commander Ta Mok and Kaing Khek Ieu. Three former top leaders -- Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary and Khieu Samphan -- currently live freely in Cambodia.
Justice Minister Ang Vong Vathana told Kyodo News that the announcement of local and foreign judicial officers will be made at the first meeting of the nine-member Supreme Council of Magistracy on the issue in the Royal Palace, to be chaired by King Norodom Sihamoni.
The minister, who is a member of the council, also said that the number of Cambodian judges and prosecutors will be between 16 and 18.
According to the list of U.N.-appointed nominees, a copy of which was seen by Kyodo News, 12 foreign judicial officers including their reserves will sit on the two trial chambers set to cost $56.3 million.
Of them, full-time foreign judges and their reserves are from New Zealand, the United States, Sri Lanka, Japan, France, Austria and Poland, the list shows.
According to the 2003 agreement between the United Nations and Cambodia, the planned three-year trial will consist of two trial chambers -- the Trial Chamber and Supreme Court.
Three Cambodian judges and two foreign judges will sit in the Trial Chamber, while four Cambodians and three foreign judges will sit in the Supreme Court.
Although no date has been set, both Cambodia and the United Nations have said the trial would begin sometime in the middle of next year.
Khmer Rouge leaders are blamed for the deaths of more than 1.7 million Cambodians in the late 1970s.
Only two senior Khmer Rouge figures are in custody -- former military commander Ta Mok and Kaing Khek Ieu. Three former top leaders -- Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary and Khieu Samphan -- currently live freely in Cambodia.
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