Weekly e-newsletter on Khmer Rouge Tribunal

This is weekly e-newsletter on Khmer Rouge Trial. The KRT web portal team had created "Blog" that allow all members can comment it. 1- KRT filings seek more suspects THE acting international co-prosecutor at the Khmer Rouge tribunal on Monday requested the investigation of five more suspects in two separate filings, one of which covered crimes he said constituted genocide. The filings from William Smith were submitted on the same day Prime Minister Hun Sen warned that the pursuit of additional prosecutions risked sparking civil unrest that could claim up to 300,000 lives… 2- Int’l Co-Prosecutor Requests Investigation Into Five More Persons Phnom Penh: Interim international co-prosecutor William Smith has filed two introductory submissions [second and third introductory submissions] to co-investigating judges to enable the co-investigating judges to open additional investigating into Khmer Rouge suspects. According to a press release dated Tuesday, the interim international co-prosecutor stated that the Second and Third Introductory Submissions cover crimes that were committed as part of a joint criminal enterprise constituting a systematic and unlawful denial of the rights of the Cambodian population, and identify a total of five suspects… 3- ECCC ruling risks unrest: PM PRIME Minister Hun Sen on Monday lashed out at the decision by the Khmer Rouge tribunal to pave the way for investigations of more regime figures, warning that doing so risks sparking civil unrest that could claim hundreds of thousands of lives. “ If you want a tribunal, but you don't want to consider peace and reconciliation and war breaks out again, killing 200,000 or 300,000 people, who will be responsible?" asked Hun Sen, speaking at a forum on census results at Chaktomuk Theatre. 4- Further KR Prosecution Intention: Youk Chhang Clarifies To PM, PM Thanks Phnom Penh: Prime Minister Hun Sen on 7 September restated his intention to bring to trials only Khmer Rouge leaders currently detained at the Khmer Rouge tribunal, but the premier would not interfere with the hybrid-court proceedings. However, the prime minister is critical of those who urge additional prosecutions, referring to Youk Chhang, the director of the Documentation Center of Cambodia (DC-Cam)… 5- Further Khmer Rouge Inquiry Sketch Remains Mysterious The Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) so far has decided to detain five former Khmer Rouge leaders and now is holding trial against former Khmer Rouge Tuol Sleng prison chief Kaing Guek Eav, alias Duch. But, the baring from these further inquiries has been dropped recently due to no supermajority of votes. In a press conference on 3 August 2009 afternoon, the co-prosecutor stated that the baring from the additional investigations was withdrawn because of no supermajority of votes… 6- Civil parties start boycott of KR tribunal THE Khmer Rouge tribunal lost some familiar faces this week as a group of civil parties - some of whom had been attending almost daily - launched a boycott protesting a decision they said unfairly restricted their participation. The Trial Chamber last week ruled that civil party lawyers would not be allowed to question character witnesses, prompting criticism that judges were reneging on their promise to allow for "enhanced recognition of victims" in proceedings, which is billed on the tribunal's Web site as one of its "major innovations"... 7- Further Inquiry Not To Result In Problem: Youk Chhang How do you think about the international co-prosecutor who is given rights to conduct additional inquiry into former senior Khmer Rouge leaders? I think it is a legal decision and we should follow it. Let the law to address the issue. At first glance, it shows that a court must be independent from individuals, civil societies, and others. It is also important to strengthen Cambodia’s fragile legal system…