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| Khmer Rouge Duch trial nears end | Khmer Rouge Duch trial nears end |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| The first trial at Cambodia's Khmer Rouge tribunal is entering its final week, with lawyers giving closing arguments after months of testimony. | |
| Kaing Guek Euv, better known as Comrade Duch, ran a prison where thousands of people were tortured and murdered in the late 1970s. | Kaing Guek Euv, better known as Comrade Duch, ran a prison where thousands of people were tortured and murdered in the late 1970s. |
| He is accused of crimes against humanity and faces a lifetime prison sentence if convicted. | He is accused of crimes against humanity and faces a lifetime prison sentence if convicted. |
| But the defence is likely to repeat its argument that he was following orders. | But the defence is likely to repeat its argument that he was following orders. |
| The week is the final chance for the prosecution and defence to have their say before the judges retire to consider their verdict. | The week is the final chance for the prosecution and defence to have their say before the judges retire to consider their verdict. |
| Time has also been set aside for the civil party lawyers representing dozens of people who lived through the Khmer Rouge era. | Time has also been set aside for the civil party lawyers representing dozens of people who lived through the Khmer Rouge era. |
| They include the only three confirmed survivors of Comrade Duch's notorious S-21 prison. | They include the only three confirmed survivors of Comrade Duch's notorious S-21 prison. |
| At least 14,000 inmates passed through the gates of that facility. Most of them were tortured. | At least 14,000 inmates passed through the gates of that facility. Most of them were tortured. |
| If they survived that ordeal they were bludgeoned to death at the so-called killing fields just outside Phnom Penh. | If they survived that ordeal they were bludgeoned to death at the so-called killing fields just outside Phnom Penh. |
| 'Small cog' | 'Small cog' |
| Comrade Duch has admitted that he was in charge of S-21 and apologised in court for his part in the atrocities committed there. | Comrade Duch has admitted that he was in charge of S-21 and apologised in court for his part in the atrocities committed there. |
| WHO WERE THE KHMER ROUGE? Maoist regime that ruled Cambodia from 1975-1979Founded and led by Pol Pot, who died in 1998 Abolished religion, schools and currency in a bid to create agrarian utopiaUp to two million people thought to have died from starvation, overwork or execution Symbol of Khmer Rouge terror Key Khmer Rouge figures | WHO WERE THE KHMER ROUGE? Maoist regime that ruled Cambodia from 1975-1979Founded and led by Pol Pot, who died in 1998 Abolished religion, schools and currency in a bid to create agrarian utopiaUp to two million people thought to have died from starvation, overwork or execution Symbol of Khmer Rouge terror Key Khmer Rouge figures |
| The co-prosecutor Bill Smith said he believes the trial may have helped Cambodians come to terms with their horrific recent history. | The co-prosecutor Bill Smith said he believes the trial may have helped Cambodians come to terms with their horrific recent history. |
| "I think the trial has been very, very successful," he told the BBC. | "I think the trial has been very, very successful," he told the BBC. |
| "The fact that the court has allowed the victims to participate through their civil party lawyers has been a real major success connecting what's happening in that courtroom back to the people who experienced the tragedy of S-21." | "The fact that the court has allowed the victims to participate through their civil party lawyers has been a real major success connecting what's happening in that courtroom back to the people who experienced the tragedy of S-21." |
| The prosecution wants Duch to serve the maximum sentence: life imprisonment. | The prosecution wants Duch to serve the maximum sentence: life imprisonment. |
| But the defence is likely to reiterate its argument that its client was just a small cog in the Khmer Rouge machine, and that Duch and his family would have been killed if he had not followed orders. | But the defence is likely to reiterate its argument that its client was just a small cog in the Khmer Rouge machine, and that Duch and his family would have been killed if he had not followed orders. |