| Submit your comments on this article |
| Southeast Asia |
| U.N-supported tribunal indicts four Khmer Rouge leaders |
| 2010-09-17 |
| (Xinhua) -- The Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) announced Thursday that four aging Khmer Rouge leaders have been indicted for their crimes committed in late 1970s. In a press conference, You Bunleng and Marcel Lemonde, co- investigating judges of the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia, said they signed the Closing Order for Case File 002, indicting and sending former Foreign Minister Ieng Sary, his wife and ex-minister for social affairs Ieng Thirith, former head of state Khieu Samphan and the group's ideologist Nuon Chea for trial. They said the four accused were indicted and sent for trial before the ECCC Trial Chamber on charges of crimes against humanity, grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions of August 12, 1949, genocide of the Cham and the Vietnamese, and offences under the 1956 Cambodian Criminal Code. The four accused were maintained in custody until their appearance before the Trial Chamber, according to the judges. Answering reporters' questions, the co-investigating judges expressed their hope that the trial of the four former Khmer Rouge leaders will take place in early next year. The ECCC, a hybrid court, set up by Cambodia in cooperation with the United Nations to try former Khmer Rouge leaders who are blamed for the deaths of about 1.7 million Cambodians from their rule in 1975 to 1979. In July this year, the ECCC concluded one of its two cases. The first case was conducted against Kaing Guek Eav, alias Duch, chief of security prison, known as S-21. He was sentenced to 35 years in jail. |
| Posted by:Fred |