The appeal hearing opened this morning at the special tribunal in Phnom Penh and will last until Thursday. This morning, Khieu Samphan’s defense team argued that the tribunal, formally known as the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC), had taken a “selective approach” to witness testimony and not given proper weight to evidence in their client’s favor. They also claimed that the ECCC had convicted Khieu Samphan, 90, on the basis of legal criteria that he could not have known when the alleged crimes took place.
onsdag 18. august 2021
Former Khmer Rouge Head of State Begins Genocide Appeal
Khieu Samphan, the last surviving senior leader of Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge, has begun his appeal against the life sentence for genocide that was handed down by a United Nations-backed court in 2018.
The appeal hearing opened this morning at the special tribunal in Phnom Penh and will last until Thursday. This morning, Khieu Samphan’s defense team argued that the tribunal, formally known as the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC), had taken a “selective approach” to witness testimony and not given proper weight to evidence in their client’s favor. They also claimed that the ECCC had convicted Khieu Samphan, 90, on the basis of legal criteria that he could not have known when the alleged crimes took place.
The appeal hearing opened this morning at the special tribunal in Phnom Penh and will last until Thursday. This morning, Khieu Samphan’s defense team argued that the tribunal, formally known as the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC), had taken a “selective approach” to witness testimony and not given proper weight to evidence in their client’s favor. They also claimed that the ECCC had convicted Khieu Samphan, 90, on the basis of legal criteria that he could not have known when the alleged crimes took place.
