PHNOM PENH - The Supreme Court Chamber of the UN-backed Khmer Rouge tribunal has decided to accept some 9,000 documents from its first case, against torture chief Duch, for use in two controversial cases now before investigating judges at the court.
The court ruled the confidential documents could be used on cases 003 and 004, which seek to indict five more Khmer Rouge leaders for atrocity crimes. Top government officials oppose those cases going forward, and it remains to be seen whether the office of investigating judges at the court will advance the cases.
Nevertheless, the Supreme Court Chamber ruled the tribunal could use confessions, biographies of victims, testimonies of witnesses and records of hearings on camera in the cases.
Tribunal spokesman Neth Pheaktra told VOA Khmer the Case 001, which convicted Duch of atrocity crimes and sentenced him to life in prison, has value for cases 002, 003 and 004.
The Supreme Court Chamber also decided to release nearly 1,800 documents from Duch’s case public for “national reconciliation and truth,” he said.
The court ruled the confidential documents could be used on cases 003 and 004, which seek to indict five more Khmer Rouge leaders for atrocity crimes. Top government officials oppose those cases going forward, and it remains to be seen whether the office of investigating judges at the court will advance the cases.
Nevertheless, the Supreme Court Chamber ruled the tribunal could use confessions, biographies of victims, testimonies of witnesses and records of hearings on camera in the cases.
Tribunal spokesman Neth Pheaktra told VOA Khmer the Case 001, which convicted Duch of atrocity crimes and sentenced him to life in prison, has value for cases 002, 003 and 004.
The Supreme Court Chamber also decided to release nearly 1,800 documents from Duch’s case public for “national reconciliation and truth,” he said.
