Original report from Phnom Penh
23 February 2009
Khmer Rouge tribunal judges on Friday rejected a request from Khieu Samphan that 60,000 pages of documentation be translated into French.
The request, made by French attorney Jacques Verges, had delayed for months proceedings against the former nominal head of the regime, who is charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity. Verges has said he would be unable to defend his client without the translations.
But following a hearing on the matter in December, the Pre-Trial Chamber decided unanimously that the request was not valid, judge Prak Kim San announced Friday.
The judges found no obligations stated in the rules of the tribunal that required translation, he said, noting limited resources as well as a time limit for the courts.
Khieu Samphan’s Cambodian attorney, Sar Savan, said the decision was unacceptable, though it was met with approval by both prosecutors and lawyers for civil parties in the case.
Khieu Samphan, 77, was arrested in November 2007, and his detention has already been extended for a year.
Khmer Rouge tribunal judges on Friday rejected a request from Khieu Samphan that 60,000 pages of documentation be translated into French.
The request, made by French attorney Jacques Verges, had delayed for months proceedings against the former nominal head of the regime, who is charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity. Verges has said he would be unable to defend his client without the translations.
But following a hearing on the matter in December, the Pre-Trial Chamber decided unanimously that the request was not valid, judge Prak Kim San announced Friday.
The judges found no obligations stated in the rules of the tribunal that required translation, he said, noting limited resources as well as a time limit for the courts.
Khieu Samphan’s Cambodian attorney, Sar Savan, said the decision was unacceptable, though it was met with approval by both prosecutors and lawyers for civil parties in the case.
Khieu Samphan, 77, was arrested in November 2007, and his detention has already been extended for a year.
The request, made by French attorney Jacques Verges, had delayed for months proceedings against the former nominal head of the regime, who is charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity. Verges has said he would be unable to defend his client without the translations.
But following a hearing on the matter in December, the Pre-Trial Chamber decided unanimously that the request was not valid, judge Prak Kim San announced Friday.
The judges found no obligations stated in the rules of the tribunal that required translation, he said, noting limited resources as well as a time limit for the courts.
Khieu Samphan’s Cambodian attorney, Sar Savan, said the decision was unacceptable, though it was met with approval by both prosecutors and lawyers for civil parties in the case.
Khieu Samphan, 77, was arrested in November 2007, and his detention has already been extended for a year.
Khmer Rouge tribunal judges on Friday rejected a request from Khieu Samphan that 60,000 pages of documentation be translated into French.
The request, made by French attorney Jacques Verges, had delayed for months proceedings against the former nominal head of the regime, who is charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity. Verges has said he would be unable to defend his client without the translations.
But following a hearing on the matter in December, the Pre-Trial Chamber decided unanimously that the request was not valid, judge Prak Kim San announced Friday.
The judges found no obligations stated in the rules of the tribunal that required translation, he said, noting limited resources as well as a time limit for the courts.
Khieu Samphan’s Cambodian attorney, Sar Savan, said the decision was unacceptable, though it was met with approval by both prosecutors and lawyers for civil parties in the case.
Khieu Samphan, 77, was arrested in November 2007, and his detention has already been extended for a year.
6 comments:
Jacques Verges is right !
And He Sucks !
I am pretty sure that this man speak english !
WE respect Frech language wich is of high value, but Verges must not use French or Francophy as a pretext to Bloc the trial process.
No, Verge didn't block anything. He just want the ECCC to do their part, so that he can do his. What is wrong with that? Moreover, you can't be international standard if you only use one language.
When is the ECCC going to bring these Khmer Rouge commanders list below to Khmer Rouge Trail?
Hun Sen
Chea Sim
Heng Samrin
In fact, Jacques is right !
In Cambodia, we have 3 official's languages to be use for the government - khmer, english and french...
And everybody knows that Khmers CPP always need more monies !
................................
They never have time for documentations.
They have time for briberies, corruptions, casinos, karaoke,... ! Lak Ning Lak.. which mean etc !
2:25am, the court don't want to give the KR too much rights. even the KR must respect the rule of law, you know. that is the bottom line; and don't try to drag the language issue into all of this as it has nothing to do with the stupid KR regime killing khmer people and damaging and ruining cambodia, ok! don't try to deviate from the real issue, here, mister!
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