Khmer Rouge leadership to face genocide trial
Four senior Khmer Rouge leaders have been indicted for their pivotal role in deaths of 1.7 million Cambodians in the "killing fields" during the Maoist regime's four-year reign of terror three decades ago.
The UN-backed genocide tribunal said the aging quartet would face charges including war crimes and crimes against humanity in a trial likely to open by the middle of next year.
The long-awaited trial will put in the dock the regime's chief ideologue known as "brother number two", Nuon Chea, 84, nominal head of state, Khieu Samphan, 79, the foreign minister, Ieng Sary, 84, and his wife, Ieng Thirith, 78, described as the Khmer Rouge's "first lady".
Headed by Pol Pot, "brother number one" who died in 1998, the Khmer Rouge held power from 1975 until 1979, clearing cities in a misguided effort to turn the country into an agrarian utopia.
In the process an estimated 1.7 million Cambodians died of starvation, disease and overwork, or were tortured and executed as "CIA spies" in the "killing fields".
The latest round of indictments comes two months after the landmark conviction of the regime's chief torturer Kaing Guek Eav, better known as Duch, for the deaths of 15,000 people in the notorious Tuol Sleng jail.
Duch, 67, was sentenced to 30 years in jail but could walk free after 19 years because of time he has already served. The sentence was heavily criticised in Cambodia for its leniency and the prosecutors have lodged an appeal....
Read entire article at Telegraph (UK)
The UN-backed genocide tribunal said the aging quartet would face charges including war crimes and crimes against humanity in a trial likely to open by the middle of next year.
The long-awaited trial will put in the dock the regime's chief ideologue known as "brother number two", Nuon Chea, 84, nominal head of state, Khieu Samphan, 79, the foreign minister, Ieng Sary, 84, and his wife, Ieng Thirith, 78, described as the Khmer Rouge's "first lady".
Headed by Pol Pot, "brother number one" who died in 1998, the Khmer Rouge held power from 1975 until 1979, clearing cities in a misguided effort to turn the country into an agrarian utopia.
In the process an estimated 1.7 million Cambodians died of starvation, disease and overwork, or were tortured and executed as "CIA spies" in the "killing fields".
The latest round of indictments comes two months after the landmark conviction of the regime's chief torturer Kaing Guek Eav, better known as Duch, for the deaths of 15,000 people in the notorious Tuol Sleng jail.
Duch, 67, was sentenced to 30 years in jail but could walk free after 19 years because of time he has already served. The sentence was heavily criticised in Cambodia for its leniency and the prosecutors have lodged an appeal....