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PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA - Apr 03 2009
The head of state under Cambodia's Khmer Rouge, Khieu Samphan, appealed to be released from detention on Friday ahead of his trial at the United Nations-backed war crimes court.
Khieu Samphan (77) is charged with crimes against humanity and war crimes, but is seeking to be freed on bail from the purpose-built detention centre at the court.
"I can tell you that [Khieu Samphan] is not going to flee. The reason that he could be released is so that he can grow vegetables or do a bit of gardening for his own use," Cambodian co-defence lawyer Sa Sovan told the court.
As Khieu Samphan sat with his hands folded in his lap, his Cambodian lawyer disputed the arguments set out by the prosecution to justify his ongoing imprisonment.
Sa Sovan said there was no evidence his client would pressure witnesses if released or be attacked by Khmer Rouge victims seeking revenge.
But prosecutor Yet Chakriya said there was no guarantee letting Khieu Samphan out of jail would not disrupt public order, and cited a 1991 incident where he was attacked by a mob in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh.
"A huge number of people surrounded him and threw rocks at him. It was only on the intervention by the government that Khieu Samphan escaped," Yet Chakriya said.
Khieu Samphan's other lawyer, famed attorney Jacques Verges, attempted to raise the allegations that Cambodian tribunal staff were forced to pay kickbacks for their jobs.
Australian judge Rowan Downing, however, told him that it was not possible to talk about "a new issue" during proceedings in which he was supposed to be responding to prosecution arguments.
PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA - Apr 03 2009
The head of state under Cambodia's Khmer Rouge, Khieu Samphan, appealed to be released from detention on Friday ahead of his trial at the United Nations-backed war crimes court.
Khieu Samphan (77) is charged with crimes against humanity and war crimes, but is seeking to be freed on bail from the purpose-built detention centre at the court.
"I can tell you that [Khieu Samphan] is not going to flee. The reason that he could be released is so that he can grow vegetables or do a bit of gardening for his own use," Cambodian co-defence lawyer Sa Sovan told the court.
As Khieu Samphan sat with his hands folded in his lap, his Cambodian lawyer disputed the arguments set out by the prosecution to justify his ongoing imprisonment.
Sa Sovan said there was no evidence his client would pressure witnesses if released or be attacked by Khmer Rouge victims seeking revenge.
But prosecutor Yet Chakriya said there was no guarantee letting Khieu Samphan out of jail would not disrupt public order, and cited a 1991 incident where he was attacked by a mob in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh.
"A huge number of people surrounded him and threw rocks at him. It was only on the intervention by the government that Khieu Samphan escaped," Yet Chakriya said.
Khieu Samphan's other lawyer, famed attorney Jacques Verges, attempted to raise the allegations that Cambodian tribunal staff were forced to pay kickbacks for their jobs.
Australian judge Rowan Downing, however, told him that it was not possible to talk about "a new issue" during proceedings in which he was supposed to be responding to prosecution arguments.
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