via Khmer NZ
Friday, 16 July 2010 15:02 Sebastian Strangio
THE Khmer Rouge tribunal has announced a formal end to its investigations in Case 002, which involves former regime figures Khieu Samphan, Ieng Sary, Ieng Thirith and Nuon Chea, after the conclusion of all appeals related to the investigatory stage of the proceedings.
Court spokesman Lars Olsen said yesterday that the court’s Pre-Trial Chamber had notified all parties that the 25 appeals had been concluded.
He said the Pre-Trial Chamber would hand the completed case file to the court’s co-prosecutors “in the coming days”, after which they would make their final submissions to the co-investigating judges as to whether to pursue a indictment.
“It is now the last phase of Case 002 before there will be a decision on whether there will be indictments,” and the UN-backed court was on schedule to issue closing orders in Case 002 by a court-mandated September deadline, he said.
“There were some comments by observers that the timelines ... would be impossible,” he said, and yesterday’s announcement was an indication the court was “on track” to meet the
deadline. If it fails to get closing orders in on time, the court would be put in the awkward position of having to release Nuon Chea, the regime’s Brother No 2, on bail.
The Khmer Rouge ideologue was arrested at his home in Pailin on September 19, 2007, and according to the tribunal’s internal rules, suspects can be held for only three years without an indictment.
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