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Ieng Sary and Khieu Samphan slam Khmer Rouge court | Ieng Sary and Khieu Samphan slam Khmer Rouge court |
(about 11 hours later) | |
Two Khmer Rouge leaders on trial for genocide have told the UN-backed court it has no authority to prosecute them. | Two Khmer Rouge leaders on trial for genocide have told the UN-backed court it has no authority to prosecute them. |
The regime's head of state Khieu Samphan said the prosecution case was "monumentally biased" and relied on accounts from newspapers. | The regime's head of state Khieu Samphan said the prosecution case was "monumentally biased" and relied on accounts from newspapers. |
Ex-Foreign Minister Ieng Sary reiterated that he had received a royal pardon so should not be on trial. | Ex-Foreign Minister Ieng Sary reiterated that he had received a royal pardon so should not be on trial. |
They are accused of leading a campaign of mass murder in Cambodia from 1975-1979 in which up to 2.2 million died. | They are accused of leading a campaign of mass murder in Cambodia from 1975-1979 in which up to 2.2 million died. |
The Khmer Rouge regime tried to establish a Maoist utopia by forcing everyone to live as peasants, and exterminating everyone they regarded as enemies. | The Khmer Rouge regime tried to establish a Maoist utopia by forcing everyone to live as peasants, and exterminating everyone they regarded as enemies. |
The policies plunged the country into a humanitarian catastrophe - the regime was eventually swept from power by invading Vietnamese forces. | The policies plunged the country into a humanitarian catastrophe - the regime was eventually swept from power by invading Vietnamese forces. |
The long-awaited trial of three defendants began on Monday. | The long-awaited trial of three defendants began on Monday. |
The third defendant is Nuon Chea, known as Brother Number Two, who was the right-hand man to supreme leader Pol Pot. | The third defendant is Nuon Chea, known as Brother Number Two, who was the right-hand man to supreme leader Pol Pot. |
All three, who are in their 80s, deny the charges they face. | |
Khieu Samphan dismissed the evidence against him as "fairytales" and launched a lengthy attack on the trial process and the prosecutor. | Khieu Samphan dismissed the evidence against him as "fairytales" and launched a lengthy attack on the trial process and the prosecutor. |
He said the prosecution "wants my head on the block". | He said the prosecution "wants my head on the block". |
He told the court that the Khmer Rouge had launched a successful resistance movement against an unpopular government and US forces, and was backed by the Cambodian people. | He told the court that the Khmer Rouge had launched a successful resistance movement against an unpopular government and US forces, and was backed by the Cambodian people. |
He also said he was not responsible for every decision made by the regime, and could not have known about every death. | He also said he was not responsible for every decision made by the regime, and could not have known about every death. |
Nuon Chea made similar arguments in his statement to the court in Tuesday's session. | Nuon Chea made similar arguments in his statement to the court in Tuesday's session. |
Ieng Sary read out a short statement saying he would reject the court's authority until Cambodia's domestic courts had ruled on the validity of his 1996 royal pardon. | Ieng Sary read out a short statement saying he would reject the court's authority until Cambodia's domestic courts had ruled on the validity of his 1996 royal pardon. |
Former King Norodom Sihanouk granted the pardon as part of a deal which resulted in the final surrender of the Khmer Rouge. | Former King Norodom Sihanouk granted the pardon as part of a deal which resulted in the final surrender of the Khmer Rouge. |
However, all three defendants have said they will continue to participate in the proceedings. | However, all three defendants have said they will continue to participate in the proceedings. |
This case against these three men has been broken up into several mini-trials, with the first hearing set to judge on the offence of enforced removal of people from the cities. | This case against these three men has been broken up into several mini-trials, with the first hearing set to judge on the offence of enforced removal of people from the cities. |
The defendants are all in their eighties - concern that they might die has forced the tribunal to split the cases in the hope of gaining at least one conviction. | The defendants are all in their eighties - concern that they might die has forced the tribunal to split the cases in the hope of gaining at least one conviction. |
The trial is only the second to be held at the genocide court. Last year former Khmer Rouge prison chief Duch - who oversaw the notorious Tuol Sleng jail - was jailed for 19 years. | The trial is only the second to be held at the genocide court. Last year former Khmer Rouge prison chief Duch - who oversaw the notorious Tuol Sleng jail - was jailed for 19 years. |