Blog entries tagged Nuon Chea

Cayley highlights criticism of OCIJ; presents prosecutorial strategy for Case 002

Elena Lesley — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 18:10:44 +0100

International Co-Prosecutor Andrew Cayley gave an interesting presentation at Rutgers on Wednesday, but unfortunately, he did not want to comment on the record about allegations of political interference at the tribunal (particularly in relation to Cases 003 and 004). It would be safe to say, however, in the comments he did make, Cayley expressed "very grave concerns" about the conduct of Cases 003 and 004, as reported in today's Post.

Moreover, Cayley referenced the recent decisions b...

Back online/Case 002 initial hearing set for June 27

Mon, 16 May 2011 13:52:09 +0100

First of all, this blog has been down for the past few months and posts from earlier this year have been deleted due to some combination of the PPPost site being hacked and our transition to new software. We apologize for these difficulties, which we hope will not be repeated.

In tribunal news today, the court has announced the date of the initial hearing second case – featuring Khmer Rouge Brother No 2 Nuon Chea, head of state Khieu Samphan, foreign minister Ieng Sary and s...

Pre-Trial Chamber rules on political interference

Fri, 10 Sep 2010 09:23:35 +0100

The Pre-Trial Chamber at the Khmer Rouge tribunal (ECCC).

In a decision published online today, the Khmer Rouge tribunal's Pre-Trial Chamber issued a rare split decision on whether an investigation into alleged political interference by the Cambodian government in the work of the court is warranted. International judges Rowan Downing and Cath...

Enemies of the People screenings this week

Sun, 18 Jul 2010 05:09:21 +0100

For those who are in Phnom Penh, award-winning documentary Enemies of the People will be showing at Meta House's new location on Sothearos Blvd this week. Screenings are scheduled for 6:30 and 8:30 PM on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, with filmmakers Rob Lemkin and Thet Sambath in attendance to take questions. Click here for a story the Post ran on the film earlier this month, including details on efforts by the Khmer Rouge tribunal to add it as evidence in the file for Case 002.

...

Genocide charges against three suspects

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 07:22:19 +0100

The tribunal announced this week that genocide charges had for the first time been brought against three regime leaders: Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary and Khieu Samphan.

The charges stem from the regime's treatment of Vietnamese and the Cham Muslim minority group.

Brother No 2 Nuon Chea and Ieng Sary, the regime's foreign minister, were informed of the charges during a meeting with investigating judges on Wednesday. Former head of state Khieu Samphan was informed Friday. A meeting with I...

Waterlilygate update: no evidence of "foul play"

Elena Lesley — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100

The tribunal's security section has completed an investigation into the recent "Waterlilygate" controversy at the court, spokesman Lars Olsen told reporters Wednesday. He said no evidence of "foul play or theft" had been discovered.

Last week, defense lawyers for Nuon Chea said they believed there had been a security breach at the court after a confidential document from their office was found floating in a lily pond outside the ECCC.

Olsen said the security section is drafting ...

Defense lawyers allege stealing, bias and political interference at court

Elena Lesley — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 12:00:00 +0100

In a mini-scandal the Post has dubbed "Waterlilygate," defense attorneys for Nuon Chea are claiming they found a confidential document from their office floating in a lily pond outside the Khmer Rouge tribunal.

Lawyer Michiel Pestman told reporters Thursday that he believed the document had been stolen from the defense team's office. I was not able to attend the press conference where these allegations were made, but you can read the Post article here.

"We have no e...

Jarvis' Leninist ties under fire

Elena Lesley — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 22:00:00 +0100

Since the recent announcement that Helen Jarvis would become head of the ECCC Victims Unit, the former court spokeswoman has come under increased scrutiny.

In today's Cambodia Daily, lawyers for defendant Nuon Chea said Jarvis' political beliefs were cause for concern, and cited an open letter she had signed in 2006 penned by the Leninist Party Faction.

The letter, which was signed by over 50 people, reads, "We too are Marxists and believe that 'the ends justify the mean...

Judge calls for a "corruption-free" court as plenary opens

Elena Lesley — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 20:00:00 +0100

The ECCC's fifth plenary session opened Monday, with Judge Silvia Cartwright declaring that international judges "will not allow corruption to interfere with the tribunal's delivery of justice for the people of Cambodia."

Current funding shortfalls on the court's Cambodian side will be resolved once international donors are convinced the tribunal i...

More money, more problems?

Elena Lesley — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 13:58:00 +0100

Japan has pledged an additional $21-million to the troubled Khmer Rouge Tribunal, ensuring funding through early 2010. In a recent meeting between Prime Minister Hun Sen and Japan's foreign minister, the issue of corruption at the court was not discussed, according to an article in today's Post.

Meanwhile, lawyers for Nuon Chea, who filed a complaint last week in municipal court related to ECCC corruption, accused judges at the tribunal of using intimidation tactics. The judges ...

National judges indignant over corruption lawsuit

Elena Lesley — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 13:43:00 +0100

The day after 50,000 Cambodians turned out to celebrate the fall of the Khmer Rouge -- and tribunal officials stated they believe the trial of "Comrade Duch" will begin in March -- defense lawyers lodged a complaint with Phnom Penh's Municipal Court, demanding investigation into corruption at the ECCC.

In their complaint, lawyers for Nuon Chea targeted tribunal administrative head Sean Visoth and former chief of personnel Keo Thyvuth.

"The lawyers say that shortly after the g...

Prince thinks "Comrade Duch" will be only prosecution at KRT

Elena Lesley — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 23:34:00 +0100

* In an interview in yesterday's Post, Prince Sisowath Thomico says "I think that spending US$100 million just to try Duch is a big problem, because I don't think Khieu Samphan, Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary and Ieng Thirith will ever be tried." Khieu Samphan's lawyer, Jacques Verges, expressed a similar viewpoint in a recent interview. This is a concern I often hear. Duch's case is by far the most straightforward, and even it is progressing more slowly than originally expected. The cases again...

KRT in brief

Elena Lesley — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 21:19:00 +0100

* Judges at the ECCC have extended the provisional detention of Ieng Sary and Ieng Thirith for another year.

* A confrontational meeting between "Comrade Duch" and Nuon Chea, originally scheduled for Wednesday, has been postponed.

KRT in brief

Elena Lesley — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 00:00:00 +0100

As the Water Festival kicks off in Phnom Penh, I thought I should note some significant tribunal news:

* Germany has donated $1.9-million to the Victims Unit at the Khmer Rouge Tribunal. This appears a wise choice, as outreach is so important in ensuring the tribunal's relevance.

* Defense lawyers for Nuon Chea are requesting that Deputy Prime Minister Sok An turn over any correspondence between the Cambodian government and United Nations related to corruption allegations at t...

KR detainees chat, exercise together

Elena Lesley — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 21:11:00 +0100

I've been in Pailin for the Center for Social Development's forum (rescheduled from Oct. 17) and want to note a couple tribunal developments that took place in my absence:

* For the first time since they were taken into custody, detainees at the ECCC were allowed to socialize last week. Nuon Chea, Khieu Samphan and Comrade Duch met for around ten minutes, chatting and strolling around the small courtyard at the detention facility.

* Judges determined Ieng Sary and Nuon Chea were...

Khmer Rouge defendants can socialize, court says

Elena Lesley — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 23:06:00 +0100

The last fews days have been relatively slow in terms of court developments because of the Pchum Ben holiday, but an interesting decision was posted on the ECCC website today regarding communication among the five Khmer Rouge defendants.

The Pre-Trial Chamber has granted an appeal lodged by Nuon Chea's lawyers, which will potentially allow for greater contact among detainees awaiting trial at the ECCC. While the court had previously agreed to conjugal visits between married defendants...

Nuon Chea attorneys say graft charges could jeopardize ECCC

Elena Lesley — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 20:31:00 +0100

Defense attorneys for Nuon Chea have now requested details of the graft allegations against the tribunal. The release of the attorneys' letter comes days after the Cambodian government issued a statement saying no Cambodian authorities had seen the corruption complaints.

An article is in today's Post.

Ieng Sary's lawyers want hearing on indictment appeal

Elena Lesley — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 23:00:00 +0100

While both the Co-Prosecutors, who have filed an appeal against the indictment of "Comrade Duch," and Duch's lawyers have stated they want the appeal decided based on written submissions, Ieng Sary's defense team has requested an oral hearing.

They claim their client has a right to file submissions related to the charge of Joint Criminal Enterprise, and that the issue is significant enough to warrant an oral hearing. JCE is "one of the most controversial forms of liability," Ieng's ...

DK posse can't socialize

Elena Lesley — Sun, 25 May 2008 12:00:00 +0100

Judges have turned down a request for visitation among the five defendants detained at the ECCC. The only exception, which I've noted before, is regular contact between husband and wife Ieng Sary and Ieng Thirith.

"It is true that approximately 30 years have passed between the alleged acts and the arrest of the Charges Persons, during which time they have had the opportunity to contact each other," the Co-Investigating Judges wrote in a decision released last week. "H...

Pre-trial hearing logistics

Elena Lesley — Wed, 07 May 2008 12:00:00 +0100

* The court has scheduled Ieng Sary's appeal against provisional detention for June 30.

* Nuon Chea's May 20 appeal against order refusing request for annulment has been cancelled because his international lawyer "has prior professional commitments in Amsterdam," according to the Pre-Trial Chamber. The court will determine Nuon Chea's appeal based on the written submissions.