Jacques Vergès (Photo: Spiegel)Monday, 24 November 2008
Written by Georgia Wilkins The Phnom Penh Post
JACQUES Verges, a lawyer for former Khmer Rouge leader Khieu Samphan, has accused Cambodia's UN-backed Khmer Rouge tribunal of engaging in "lynch mob justice", saying that he doubts his client's case will ever go to trial because the court has "gambled away its credibility and legitimacy", according to an interview by German news magazine Der Spiegel Friday.
"I'm not even sure that the trial in Phnom Penh will even take place," he said, in response to a hypothetical question about summoning former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger as a witness.
"It may be that the trial against Duch will begin soon, but not the trials against the other four prisoners.... [These cases] will not even come to trial because the tribunal in Phnom Penh has already gambled away its credibility and legitimacy," he said.
"[W]e find ourselves in a state of total illegality before the court in Phnom Penh. What is happening there borders on lynch mob justice," he added. He also accused tribunal prosecutors as being guilty of "dilettantism" in respect to their knowledge of the law.
Court spokesperson Reach Sambath assured the Post Sunday that Khieu Samphan's case was currently under investigation.
"The lawyers have a right to say what they want to ... I cannot criticise him," he said.
"I'm not even sure that the trial in Phnom Penh will even take place," he said, in response to a hypothetical question about summoning former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger as a witness.
"It may be that the trial against Duch will begin soon, but not the trials against the other four prisoners.... [These cases] will not even come to trial because the tribunal in Phnom Penh has already gambled away its credibility and legitimacy," he said.
"[W]e find ourselves in a state of total illegality before the court in Phnom Penh. What is happening there borders on lynch mob justice," he added. He also accused tribunal prosecutors as being guilty of "dilettantism" in respect to their knowledge of the law.
Court spokesperson Reach Sambath assured the Post Sunday that Khieu Samphan's case was currently under investigation.
"The lawyers have a right to say what they want to ... I cannot criticise him," he said.
10 comments:
The KR Tribunal will proceed as planned, no matter the tricks of this evil lawyer who want to block it and preach " Francophony" at the court.
Millions of Cambodians died under the KR with Kheu Samphan as head of State. He must be responsible for this crime, with other KR leaders.
There are millions reasons to dislike this former Vietminh Jacques Vergès but he is right on this. No matter I like his frank talk and totally agreed with his saying. This Khmer rouge trial is over case because Genocide Khmer rouge is a worldwide crime with involved many influenced countries and leaders including those of yuon Vietcong, china, USA, USSR, French …etc As the matter of fact, le genocide against Khmer didn’t end with the withdrawal of pol pot or ta mok by yuons and USSR but it is well continuing but in different way. Why this trial judge only this few workers of this genocidal industry and not its proprietors and architects?
Cambodia is neither in right place nor right tool to judge this kind of crime. First its juridical system, as majority of institutions of this country, is beyond handicap and deeply corrupted and so incredible. Second genocide in Cambodia is a worldwide crime organized so Cambodia is not a place to judge this kind of crime. Then as said, Jacques Vergès, this trial has no credibility nor legitimacy, things which I always opposed. But apparently the world is ready to use these few Khmers rouges as cobaye for this worldwide organized crime as few trees that hide a massive forest. As long as the world refuses to look into problem to its cause or true the same crime will continue here or there and in Cambodia.
Yuons have a dream, it is its ancestral marvelous dream that of to suppress Khmer nation and people to rob land and natural resources, red ideological industry and conflict has make yuons dream become truth with the support from some influenced countries. Those people must bear all responsibilities for all the crimes committed against Khmer people same as the yuons vietcongs.
This guy is a fucker, but I think he is telling the truth about the non happening of KR trial.
TO 6:35 PM
I totally agree with you!!
Thanks
adding my two cents to 6:35, I was going to say the same but you already said it so well.
What we need to realize that is that this court is fragmented and broken by corruption from the beginning. The judges and prosecutors are not happy there to do the job, they're just happy to get the job. And like it or Not, the Cambodian govt. is just putting on a show for us.
If it wants us to believe that this is anything but a joke and a show they must provide all transparencies on reports of allegations and ask the lawyers to speed up the process.
If we must have this court, we must have it RIGHT! Everyone should get a FAIR trial so that none so get lynch by accusations and implausible evidence alone! And it is very important to Khmer on both side for healing, the former KR and the Victims to have this court perceive as professional, fair, and acceptable standard when view from international perspective. As this is also an international crime commit not by Pol Pot Alone!
Ah Scam Rainxy is responsible if the International Standard failed.
6:35 PM I do agree with you.
This trial will never happen like what he said!
UP
my dear, i think the show must go on. if they (KR) had nothing to hide, why are they so afraid to go on trial, for the sake of cambodia, not anyone in particular!
It is true that this trial will ever take place. Cause YOUN is controlling the government.
They will never let it happens.
Rough name should be on trial:
Sihanouk
Pol Pot
Kheiv Samphan
Ieng Sary
Ta Mok
Duch
Noun Chea
Hun Sen
Heng Samrin
Chea Sim
YOUN
China
USA
Khmer PP,
I think the Kr leaders do not want to hide, but they may not want to disclose may be the reason of time.
When it come to the right time those truth will emerge. We all are eager to know, but can do nothing other than waiting. Because maybe those big power nations do not want us to know too. There most be some underlying threatening to this trial, not only the KR leaders themselve.
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