THE Khmer Rouge tribunal on Thursday published a letter from the Nuon Chea defence team accusing the Office of the Co-Investigating Judges of having “spent the better part of the last two years confirming a particular set of historically accepted ‘truths’” rather than conducting its work impartially.

The October 15 letter listed a number of “failings”, but emphasises a witness account provided earlier this month by Wayne Bastin, a former chief of the Intelligence and Analysis Unit at the office, charging that Judge Marcel Lemonde encouraged investigators to “find more inculpatory evidence than exculpatory evidence” while putting together cases against former regime leaders.

The letter also stated that more than half of 15 requests for investigative action submitted by lawyers for the regime’s Brother No 2 have gone unanswered, “despite the fact that we have requested in most cases to be consulted in advance”.

In a reply dated October 27, the office said it was “impossible to comment upon” a motion to dismiss Lemonde filed by defence lawyers for former foreign minister Ieng Sary in light of Bastin’s statement. Judges Lemonde and You Bunleng added that they would “continue to conduct the judicial investigation with impartiality and with all necessary vigour”.