Jailed Khmer Rouge leader Nuon Chea on Thursday rejected documentation evidence against him put forward by prosecution and civil party lawyers at the UN-backed tribunal, calling it “not clear” and “not correct.”
Nuon Chea, the regime’s chief ideologue, has so far been the only one of three leaders on trial for atrocity crimes to repeatedly address the court in his defense. That defense has been in part to question the authenticity of documentation.
Prosecutors this week have sought to establish the Khmer Rouge’s formal leadership structure, with three leaders charged with atrocity crimes with joint criminal intent.
“All descriptions related to military command, the steering committee, quoted from certain individuals, are not correct,” Nuon Chea told the court Thursday. “Meanwhile, it is necessary to listen to audio recordings of the interview with me to make sure whether these were my words or not.”
Defense for former foreign minister Ieng Sary and former head of state Khieu Samphan objected to the use of documentation evidence and requested its authentication.
Ieng Sary defense attorney Kong Sam On said evidence provided by the Documentation Center of Cambodia was only partial and meant to cast an accusatory light on the defendant.
In his 15-minute statement to the court Thursday, Nuon Chea accused the office of investigating judges of bias, and he requested witnesses be brought forward for his defense.
He also asked why there have been no discussions at the court of the US bombing of Cambodia prior to the rise of the Khmer Rouge, as well as the “ill intentions” of neighboring countries he said were “related” to the regime’s ascen