Friday, 22 February 2008

Khmer Rouge court judges to inspect Cambodian genocide sites

Fri, 22 Feb 2008
Author : DPA

Phnom Penh - Co-investigating judges for the tribunal to try former Khmer Rouge leaders will inspect Cambodia's two most infamous mass murder sites next week, the court said in a statement Friday. "As part of the ongoing work of the office of the co-investigating Judges, on-site investigations are being held on Tuesday at Choeung Ek and on Wednesday at Tuol Sleng," the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) said.

Choeung Ek, which translates as "champions" in Khmer, is also known as the Killing Fields and is littered with the mass graves of Khmer Rouge victims.

Toul Sleng was a former high school which was converted into Pol Pot's private torture prison. Most of up to 16,000 inmates who did not die there under interrogation were transported to the Killing Fields and murdered there.

The ECCC said both popular tourist sites would be closed to the public during the judges' inspection as investigations remained confidential.

"Appropriate and strict security measures will be in place," the court said.

Five former Khmer Rouge leaders are currently in custody facing charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including former Toul Sleng commandant Duch.

Up to 2 million Cambodians died during the Khmer Rouge's 1975-79 Democratic Kampuchea regime. Former leader Pol Pot died at his home in 1998.

No comments: