Hun Sen to Ban Ki-Moon: Case 002 last trial at ECCC

Photo by: Heng Chivoan
Prime Minister Hun Sen speaks at the Council of Ministers in Phnom Penh this morning.

via CAAI

Wednesday, 27 October 2010 16:18 Cheang Sokha

Prime Minister Hun Sen said there were to be no further prosecutions at the Khmer Rouge tribunal beyond its second case during a meeting with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in Phnom Penh on Wednesday.

Foreign Minister Hor Namhong told reporters following the meeting that Hun Sen considered pending investigations in Cases 003 and 004 a threat to the Kingdom’s “stability”.

“Samdech [Hun Sen] clearly affirmed that Case 003 will not be allowed,” Hor Namhong said. “We have to think about peace in Cambodia or the court will fail,” he said.

“The court will try the four senior leaders successfully and then finish with Case 002.”

Hun Sen has repeatedly expressed his opposition to investigations in cases 003 and 004, which feature five suspects whose names remain confidential.

Cambodian officials at the UN-backed court, including co-prosecutor Chea Leang and Co-Investigating Judge You Bunleng, have fallen in line with the prime minister’s view, generating accusations that the government is interfering in the work of the court.

Last year, international prosecutor William Smith made submissions regarding cases 003 and 004 to the Co-Investigating Judges without Chea Leang’s support; in June, French Co-Investigating Judge Marcel Lemonde announced that he was moving forward with the investigations despite a lack of support from You Bunleng....

read the full story in tomorrow’s Phnom Penh Post or see the updated story online from 3PM UTC/GMT +7 hours.