The Co-Investigating Judges have finished investigations into Comrade Duch's case file, the court announced Friday. They are now working to issue a final closing order in July, determining whether Duch should go to trial and, if so, on what charges.

"It is hoped that any trial of Duch on charges raised in the Co-Prosecutors' Initial Submissions could commence at the beginning of the last quarter of 2008," reads the first edition of the new monthly Court Report.

Court Spokesman Reach Sambath said Friday he "couldn't predict" what month a trial might begin.

But he added that "everybody wants the case to move forward as quickly as possible. We don't want any delays."

All parties have 15 days to request further investigative action into Duch's case file.

 

A second case file, primarily related to the four other defendants, is still in the investigative stage. Unlike Duch, the other defendants have refused to be interviewed by the Co-Investigating Judges.

Still, investigations into the second case file are "proceeding expeditiously," according to the Court Report.

* Kang Kek Ieu, alias "Comrade Duch," (pictured above) oversaw the notorious Tuol Sleng prison and torture center in Phnom Penh.