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Khmer Rouge Duch trial nears end Khmer Rouge Duch trial nears end
(about 2 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. Lawyers at the trial of the Khmer Rouge's former prison chief in Cambodia are making 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 Eav, 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. The 67-year-old is accused of crimes against humanity and faces a life sentence in prison if convicted.
But the defence is likely to repeat its argument that he was following orders. He is the first of five top Khmer Rouge figures to face the UN-backed tribunal.
The week is the final chance for the prosecution and defence to have their say before the judges retire to consider their verdict. As many as two million people are believed to have died under the Khmer Rouge, the Maoist regime that controlled Cambodia from 1975 to 1979.
Time has also been set aside for the civil party lawyers representing dozens of people who lived through the Khmer Rouge era. 'Awful reality'
They include the only three confirmed survivors of Comrade Duch's notorious S-21 prison. Duch went on trial in February, after years of wrangling over the establishment of the tribunal. A verdict in his case is expected early next year.
At least 14,000 inmates passed through the gates of that facility. Most of them were tortured. This week is the final chance for the prosecution and defence to have their say before the judges retire to consider their verdict.
If they survived that ordeal they were bludgeoned to death at the so-called killing fields just outside Phnom Penh. 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 class="" href="/2/hi/asia-pacific/2856771.stm">Key Khmer Rouge figures class="" href="/2/hi/asia-pacific/7736224.stm">Duch: Symbol of horror
'Small cog' Time has also been set aside for lawyers representing dozens of people who lived through the Khmer Rouge era, including the only three confirmed survivors of the notorious S-21 prison.
Comrade Duch has admitted that he was in charge of S-21 and apologised in court for his part in the atrocities committed there. Duch ran S-21, also known as Tuol Sleng. As many as 17,000 inmates are thought to have passed through the gates of that facility.
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 class="" href="/2/hi/asia-pacific/8300498.stm">Symbol of Khmer Rouge terror class="" href="/2/hi/asia-pacific/2856771.stm">Key Khmer Rouge figures All but a handful were tortured, forced to "confess" to crimes against the regime and then put to death at the so-called killing fields just outside Phnom Penh.
The co-prosecutor Bill Smith said he believes the trial may have helped Cambodians come to terms with their horrific recent history. Duch has admitted that he was in charge of S-21 and apologised in court for his part in the horrors committed there.
He has said he was only following orders because he feared for his life. He is expected to address the court later this week.
"At this moment it's very important to give credit to Duch for his guilty plea," his lawyer Francois Roux said on Sunday. "Duch has recognised his responsibility."
But lawyers for the victims told the court on Monday this was not enough.
"Even today, the accused has sought to evade or minimise his role and the awful reality that was S-21...and suffering that befell so many civil parties that we all represent," lawyer Karim Khan said.
Co-prosecutor Bill Smith said he believed the trial had helped Cambodians come to terms with their country's 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."
Mr Smith said the wait had been "so long for so many Cambodians" but it was important that the government "tells them that lives were important, that they were valuable". The trial of four other top Khmer Rouge leaders is expected to begin in 2011.
"Hopefully that will send a strong signal to governments around the world that they should never again abuse people like the Khmer Rouge did to their own people," he said.
The prosecution wants Duch to serve the maximum sentence: life imprisonment.
Mr Smith said it was "difficult to conclude that he wasn't anyone other than a very significant instrument" in the Khmer Rouge regime.
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.