High-tech court

Elena Lesley — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 02:10:51 +0100

A very exciting development for those of us trying to keep up with ECCC developments from abroad: the tribunal has launched a “virtual court.”

"The Virtual Tribunal will be a groundbreaking way for the [tribunal] to digitally make available to the public all trial related materials such as decisions, filings, trial transcripts and video of the court proceedings," according to Voice of America.

U.S. univerities partnering with the effort include Stanford and theRead More...

Ambassador says tribunal "worth saving"

Elena Lesley — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 21:06:34 +0100

Last week, I had the opportunity to hear Clint Williamson, U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for war crimes issues, speak to a crowd of Rutgers students and professors about international justice efforts in a number of different countries. While it wasn't the sole focus of his presentation, Williamson did discuss the Khmer Rouge tribunal, and I was pleased with what he had to say.

The Khmer Rouge in classrooms

Robbie Corey Boulet — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 07:51:35 +0100

A feature story on the Genocide Education Project, an effort to train teachers in the use of the first government-sanctioned textbook covering the Khmer Rouge years:

Find it online here.

On a recent Thursday, a classroom full of high school teachers in Takeo province sat in groups of five sharing survivors’ recollections of 20th-century mass atrocities.

In one group, the first teacher to speak delivered a five-minute summary of the Holocaust structured aRead More...

Incoming prosecutor discusses challenges of new role

Robbie Corey Boulet — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 06:24:18 +0100

On his first visit to Cambodia, new international co-prosecutor Andrew Cayley described in an interview his past international tribunal experience, his prospects for getting along with the government and the legal theories underpinning the charges against regime leaders awaiting trial.

Also recently:

December 17: A Khmer Rouge Rouge tribunal staffer provided estimated death tolls for security centres and execution sites related to the ongoing investigation of five reRead More...

Genocide charges against three suspects

Robbie Corey Boulet — 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 IRead More...

Recent developments at the ECCC

Robbie Corey Boulet — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 03:54:03 +0100

Several events of note so far this month:

1. The tribunal on December 2 announced the appointment of veteran war crimes lawyer Andrew Cayley as international co-prosecutor, filling a position that was left vacant by the departure of Robert Petit in September.

2. Judges ruled on December 8 that joint criminal enterprise, a controversial form of liability under which suspects can be found responsible for crimes committed as part of a common plan, could apply at the tribunal, settiRead More...

Americans not following tribunal developments, according to NY Times

Elena Lesley — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 03:33:29 +0100

A recent commentary in the New York Times describes the general lack of attention the Khmer Rouge tribunal has received in the United States. I have to say that, sadly, since I returned to the U.S. in August, I have found this largely to be the case.

It is particularly inexcusable considering the role America played in decimating the country and creating circumstances that allowed the Khmer Rouge to come to power in the first place.

As Richard Bernstein writes, the lack of attenRead More...

Duch closing arguments rundown

Robbie Corey Boulet — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 09:24:14 +0100

Recapping a week of closing arguments:

Monday: Judges should not be fooled by the partial confessions and feigned contrition Kaing Guek Eav, alias Duch, has employed in a bid to downplay the savage crimes he committed as Tuol Sleng prison commandant, civil party lawyers argued Monday during the first round of closing statements in the Khmer Rouge tribunal’s first case.

Tuesday: A lengthy prison sentence for Tuol Sleng prison chief Kaing Guek Eav, alias Duch, wRead More...

Duch trial enters final arguments

Robbie Corey Boulet — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:52:55 +0100

The Duch trial has entered closing arguments, which are expected to run through the week.

According to the court's schedule, civil parties are scheduled to present their arguments Monday, with the prosecution following on Tuesday. The defense team and Duch himself will speak on Wednesday and Thursday, after which civil parties and the prosecution will be allowed to make rebuttal statements. The defense team and Duch will then be given one hour to make final statements.

This advaRead More...

Cadres face prospect of more arrests

Robbie Corey Boulet — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 04:39:27 +0100

A feature that ran in Tuesday's Post.

By Robbie Corey-Boulet and May Titthara

At the age of 14, Out Moeun left her family home in Anlong Veng district, Oddar Meanchey province, to work for Khmer Rouge Central Committee member Chhit Choeun, alias Ta Mok.

Though it was 1987, a full eight years after the regime fell from power, units of Khmer Rouge soldiers were still scattered throughout Cambodia, and she was one of many girls recruited to supply them with weapons. EvRead More...

New Granta piece on the tribunal

Elena Lesley — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 04:10:50 +0100

My second piece for Granta.com about the tribunal was recently posted online. You can read it here. It discusses the scope of culpability for Khmer Rouge atrocities and includes an interview I conducted with former S-21 guard Him Huy (pictured at left) before I left Cambodia.

The recent lecture at Rutgers was a great experience and the students had a number of interestingRead More...

Scope of Case 002 investigation presented

Robbie Corey Boulet — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 11:48:06 +0100

Tribunal spokesmen Lars Olsen and Reach Sambath held a press conference Thursday at which they discussed the scope of the tribunal's second case.

Though they referred only generally to crimes, they presented a map of 20 execution sites, security centres, cooperatives and work sites spread across 16 provinces that have been implicated in the investigation.

Olsen said the tribunal had decided to release the information for the benefit of prospective civil party applicants, who musRead More...

Upcoming Rutgers lecture

Elena Lesley — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 04:25:04 +0100

For those of you in the New Jersey area, I will be giving a lecture at Rutgers University, Newark on Thursday about the Khmer Rouge tribunal. The event is part of a speaker series hosted by the university's Center for the Study of Genocide and Human Rights. You can find information about the talk here.

I believe most of the students who will be attending are enrolled in a seminar that examines the role of perpetrators in genocidal violence. Part of their course involves studying ComradRead More...

Lawyers call for Lemonde's removal

Robbie Corey Boulet — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 10:15:54 +0100

My apologies for playing catch-up on this post. I am just returning from a trip to the provinces and was not around to cover two stories of note:

No. 1: On October 7, the tribunal made public six summons letters, dated September 25 and bearing the signature of International Co-Investigating Judge Marcel Lemonde, requesting that six government officials - Senate President Chea Sim, National Assembly President Heng Samrin, Foreign Minister Hor Namhong, Finance Minister Keat Chhon and twoRead More...

Le Monde suggests Im Chem is a suspect

Robbie Corey Boulet — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 10:23:17 +0100

An article appearing in the September 30 issue of the French newspaper Le Monde suggests that Im Chem, who served as chief of Preah Net Preah district in Banteay Meanchey province during Democratic Kampuchea, is among the five suspects named in introductory submissions filed by the prosecution last month.

The lede of the article -- written by Jacques Follorou and titled "An Ex-Khmer Rouge Claims the Right To Be Forgotten" -- states: "At first glance, it is difficult to picture that Im Read More...

Khmer Rouge survivors in Oregon can offer evidence to tribunal

Elena Lesley — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 03:10:00 +0100

The Cambodian Diaspora Victims' Participation Project will be holding workshops in Portland this weekend to show Khmer Rouge survivors how they can file testimony with the tribunal. More information can be found here. The workshops will be held Saturday and Sunday, from 9:30am to 3pm at 10301 NE Glisan St. in Portland.

Independent counsellor holds press conference

Robbie Corey Boulet — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 12:30:56 +0100

During his first press conference as the Khmer Rouge tribunal's independent counsellor, Uth Chhorn said Wednesday that he would forward, not resolve, well-founded complaints brought to him by tribunal staffers.

Describing how he would approach his new role, he said he was "to be informed of anything that happens in the court". He said he would collect information about all complaints and forward it to Deputy Prime Minister Sok An and Peter Taksoe-Jensen, the UN’s assistant Read More...

Evidence in Duch trial concludes

Robbie Corey Boulet — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 09:51:23 +0100

The Khmer Rouge tribunal on Thursday concluded the hearing of evidence in the trial of Kaing Guek Eav, alias Duch. A statement put out by the tribunal noted that, in 72 days of substantive hearings, the court heard from nine expert witnesses, 17 fact witnesses, seven character witnesses and 22 civil parties. Closing statements are set to begin on November 23.

International defence lawyer Francois Roux on Wednesday concluded testimony in dramatic fashion, with questions clearly intendedRead More...

Administrator addresses PM's comments

Robbie Corey Boulet — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 12:46:09 +0100

The Khmer Rouge tribunal’s acting director of administration said at a press conference Wednesday that he did not see any problem with Prime Minister Hun Sen criticising a recent Pre-Trial Chamber decision that paved the way for the investigations of additional suspects.

In response to a question from a reporter, Tony Kranh said: “He [Hun Sen] has the right to make any comments or mention on all kinds of matter or fields, including the judicial matter. I cannot see anRead More...

Prosecution, PM dominate plenary

Robbie Corey Boulet — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 07:08:51 +0100

There have been no hearings this week, but there has been plenty of tribunal-related news concerning the prospect of additional prosecutions.

Prime Minister Hun Sen got the ball rolling on Monday when he repeated his claim that any more investigations would lead to civil war, this time saying the casualty count could reach up to 300,000.

As it turned out, William Smith, the acting international co-prosecutor, was that very day submitting formal requests for the investigations ofRead More...

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