For immediate release
Contact: David Berry: +1 212 548 0385 (New York)
NEW REPORT FINDS CRITICAL NEEDS AT KHMER ROUGE TRIBUNAL
~ Call for Immediate Action as Investigations Begin ~
~ Call for Immediate Action as Investigations Begin ~
New York, June 27, 2007—The Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) must take urgent action to address serious challenges confronting the court, according to a report released today by the Open Society Justice Initiative.
As the ECCC moves into its investigations phase, immediate steps must be taken on an array of issues, including:
Without prompt attention to these and other needs, further delays will likely plague the court and erode public confidence, the report warns.
“The ECCC has achieved a great deal in its first 18 months,” said James A. Goldston, executive director of the Open Society Justice Initiative. “The adoption of internal rules last week marked a significant milestone for the court. But the Extraordinary Chambers still has much to do if it is to fulfill its mandate.”
The 24-page report recognizes the court’s achievements since it officially opened its doors, and also highlights the key tasks the court needs to tackle in coming months so the ECCC can be fully prepared for trials in early 2008.
The report highlights four key areas for action: enhancing the court’s independence and impartiality; securing compliance with due process and fair trial standards; fostering transparency and public engagement; and further developing the capacity and effectiveness of court operations. The report provides recommendations to the ECCC, the United Nations, donor States, and Cambodian NGOs on steps they can take to improve the court’s performance.
The report is available at: http://www.justiceinitiative.org/db/resource2?res_id=103799.
Since 2003, the Justice Initiative has assisted the ECCC through technical assistance, advocacy efforts and court monitoring. Last week, the ECCC’s judges adopted a set of internal rules which will govern the work of the tribunal. The passage of these rules paves the way for the formal investigative phase to start. The Justice Initiative’s report looks ahead to see how the court can meet the challenges before it.
The URL for this document is:
http://www.justiceinitiative.org/db/resource2?res_id=103799.
___________________
The Open Society Justice Initiative, an operational program of the Open Society Institute (OSI), pursues law reform activities grounded in the protection of human rights, and contributes to the development of legal capacity for open societies worldwide. The Justice Initiative combines litigation, legal advocacy, technical assistance, and the dissemination of knowledge to secure advances in the following priority areas: national criminal justice, international justice, freedom of information and expression, and equality and citizenship. Its offices are in Abuja, Budapest, and New York.
www.justiceinitiative.org.
As the ECCC moves into its investigations phase, immediate steps must be taken on an array of issues, including:
- getting the courtrooms ready for pre-trial hearings, which are expected to start in a few months;
- providing protection and support to potential witnesses;
- making the court’s operations more accessible to the Cambodian public through enhanced outreach; and
- instituting more transparent reporting on the court’s financial and administrative operations.
Without prompt attention to these and other needs, further delays will likely plague the court and erode public confidence, the report warns.
“The ECCC has achieved a great deal in its first 18 months,” said James A. Goldston, executive director of the Open Society Justice Initiative. “The adoption of internal rules last week marked a significant milestone for the court. But the Extraordinary Chambers still has much to do if it is to fulfill its mandate.”
The 24-page report recognizes the court’s achievements since it officially opened its doors, and also highlights the key tasks the court needs to tackle in coming months so the ECCC can be fully prepared for trials in early 2008.
The report highlights four key areas for action: enhancing the court’s independence and impartiality; securing compliance with due process and fair trial standards; fostering transparency and public engagement; and further developing the capacity and effectiveness of court operations. The report provides recommendations to the ECCC, the United Nations, donor States, and Cambodian NGOs on steps they can take to improve the court’s performance.
The report is available at: http://www.justiceinitiative.org/db/resource2?res_id=103799.
Since 2003, the Justice Initiative has assisted the ECCC through technical assistance, advocacy efforts and court monitoring. Last week, the ECCC’s judges adopted a set of internal rules which will govern the work of the tribunal. The passage of these rules paves the way for the formal investigative phase to start. The Justice Initiative’s report looks ahead to see how the court can meet the challenges before it.
The URL for this document is:
http://www.justiceinitiative.org/db/resource2?res_id=103799.
___________________
The Open Society Justice Initiative, an operational program of the Open Society Institute (OSI), pursues law reform activities grounded in the protection of human rights, and contributes to the development of legal capacity for open societies worldwide. The Justice Initiative combines litigation, legal advocacy, technical assistance, and the dissemination of knowledge to secure advances in the following priority areas: national criminal justice, international justice, freedom of information and expression, and equality and citizenship. Its offices are in Abuja, Budapest, and New York.
www.justiceinitiative.org.
2 comments:
The truth never be known if court goes on with the trial under the current government. It is a wrong time to do this. wait until a democratic party in power. Money will not be wasted and the truth will be told.
And then, the people who potentially will stand for trial will already be dead!! We can't just dream of a government we can't have, so we had better struggle to move forward despite challenges we are currently facing!!
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