Friday, 24 December 2010

Khmer Rouge jailer's appeals to be heard in March


via CAAI

The Associated Press
Thursday, December 23, 2010

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia -- A U.N.-backed tribunal says the appeals over the convictions and 19-year sentence for the Khmer Rouge's chief jailer will be heard in March.

Kaing Guek Eav, known as Duch, was convicted in July of war crimes and crimes against humanity. He was the first major Khmer Rouge figure to face trial more than three decades after the genocide of an estimated 1.7 million Cambodians.

Duch's lawyers say he merely followed orders and was wrongfully convicted. Prosecutors say his sentence is insufficent to his crimes and want a life term.

A tribunal statement Thursday said both appeals will be heard the last week of March.

Duch admitted overseeing the torture and deaths of as many as 16,000 people in prison.

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