Cambodia: Pillay Welcomes Start Of Second Khmer Rouge Trial
Call For Vigilance To Ensure Victims’ Rights Respected
GENEVA – (21 November 2011) – UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Chief Navi Pillay on Monday welcomed the opening of a landmark trial of three top Khmer Rouge leaders in the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC), on charges including genocide, crimes against humanity and torture, but stressed the need for vigilance to ensure the rights of victims in cases before the tribunal are respected.
As the second case to be brought to trial by the ECCC gets under way in Phnom Penh, the tribunal will hear opening statements from the prosecution and defence in the trial of three alleged top leaders of the Khmer Rouge regime – Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary and Khieu Samphan.
“This is another historic day for
the people of Cambodia, many of whom have waited a long time
to see the start of this trial, and who can at last begin to
hear evidence of the atrocities committed all across the
country over 30 years ago,” Pillay said. “The
survivors’ testimony will undoubtedly help a new
generation of Cambodians to understand their history and add
impetus to the international community's efforts to prevent
future mass crimes.”
It is estimated that
approximately 1.7 million people lost their lives between 17
Aril 1975 and 6 January 1979 in Cambodia – the period of
Democratic Kampuchea during which Pol Pot’s murderous
Khmer Rouge regime was in power.
Despite the progress
marked by the start of this second trial, the High
Commissioner noted the tribunal continues to face challenges
particularly with regard to the need to safeguard the
integrity of its proceedings. In an important series of
recent decisions, the minority judges of the Pre-Trial
Chamber have found serious deficiencies in the application
of international standards in the cases still before the
Court's investigating judges.
“It is essential that these concerns are squarely addressed as the Court moves forward,” the High Commissioner said. “Allegations of interference mar the credibility of any Court in the eyes of the public.”
The High Commissioner stressed that
victims have a right to obtain remedies for gross violations
of international human rights law and serious violations of
international humanitarian law, the most fundamental of
these being the right to a fair and credible justice
process.
Learn more about the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/AboutUs/Pages/HighCommissioner.aspx
UN Human Rights, country page – Cambodia: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Countries/AsiaRegion/Pages/KHIndex.aspx
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