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2 Senior Khmer Rouge Leaders Are Convicted in Cambodia, Decades After Rule 2 Khmer Rouge Leaders Are Convicted in Cambodia
(about 3 hours later)
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia — A court on Thursday found the two most senior surviving leaders of the Khmer Rouge regime, which brutalized Cambodia during the 1970s, guilty of crimes against humanity and sentenced them to life in prison. PHNOM PENH, Cambodia — A court on Thursday found the two most senior surviving leaders of the Khmer Rouge, which brutalized Cambodia during the 1970s, guilty of crimes against humanity and sentenced them to life in prison.
The chief judge, Nil Nonn, said the court found that there had been a “widespread and systematic attack against the civilian population of Cambodia” and that the two men were part of a “joint criminal enterprise” that bore responsibility. They were convicted of murder and extermination, among other crimes. The chief judge, Nil Nonn, said the court found that there had been a “widespread and systematic attack against the civilian population of Cambodia” and that the two men had been part of a “joint criminal enterprise” that bore responsibility. They were convicted of murder and extermination, among other crimes.
More than 1.7 million people died under Khmer Rouge rule from 1975 to 1979. More than 1.7 million people died under the rule of the Khmer Rouge from 1975 to 1979.
The proceedings of the tribunal, a joint effort of the Cambodian government and the United Nations, have been criticized as being extremely belated and for covering only a narrow sliver of the crimes perpetrated by the Khmer Rouge. The judgments against Nuon Chea, 88, and Khieu Samphan, 83, were the first to be handed down against the Khmer Rouge leadership, although a lower-ranking official, who ran a notorious prison for the regime in Phnom Penh, was convicted in 2010. Both defendants will appeal, their lawyers said. The proceedings of the tribunal, a joint effort of the Cambodian government and the United Nations, have been criticized for being extremely belated and for covering only a narrow sliver of the Khmer Rouge’s crimes. The judgments against the two men — Nuon Chea, 88, and Khieu Samphan, 83 — were the first handed down against the Khmer Rouge leadership, although a lower-ranking official, who ran a notorious prison for the regime in Phnom Penh, was convicted in 2010. Both defendants will appeal, their lawyers said.
The case against the two has been divided into stages. The trial that culminated Thursday, in a courthouse on the outskirts of Phnom Penh, the Cambodian capital, focused largely on the evacuation of urban centers, part of the regime’s disastrous attempt to establish an agrarian utopia. Initial hearings have begun for the second trial, which includes charges of genocide. The case against the two has been divided into stages. The trial that culminated Thursday, in a courthouse on the outskirts of Phnom Penh, the Cambodian capital, focused largely on the evacuation of urban centers, part of the Khmer Rouge’s disastrous attempt to establish an agrarian utopia. Initial hearings have begun for the second trial, which includes charges of genocide.
Witnesses have given harrowing testimony of being forced out of their homes and into the countryside by Khmer Rouge soldiers, denied medical care and seeing executions and other atrocities. The evacuation of Phnom Penh in April of 1975 portended the social fragmentation that would follow over the next three years and eight months of Khmer Rouge rule. Families were separated, money was abolished and the population was forced into a giant, failed campaign of collectivized labor. Witnesses have given harrowing testimony of being forced out of their homes and into the countryside by Khmer Rouge soldiers, being denied medical care, and seeing executions and other atrocities. The evacuation of Phnom Penh in April 1975 portended the social fragmentation that would follow over the next three years and eight months of Khmer Rouge rule. Families were separated, money was abolished and the population was forced into a giant, failed campaign of collectivized labor.
“The heart of the Khmer Rouge crimes was the complete disregard of human costs of their revolution,” said David Chandler, a former American diplomat who served in Cambodia and is a leading historian on the Khmer Rouge atrocities. “Their vision was completely flawed and unhitched to reality.”“The heart of the Khmer Rouge crimes was the complete disregard of human costs of their revolution,” said David Chandler, a former American diplomat who served in Cambodia and is a leading historian on the Khmer Rouge atrocities. “Their vision was completely flawed and unhitched to reality.”
The limited scope of the trial and verdict, which dealt only with the forced evacuations and one site where mass executions occurred, has frustrated many observers and victims, and even the staunchest supporters of the trial, which began in 2011, have been ambivalent about the process.The limited scope of the trial and verdict, which dealt only with the forced evacuations and one site where mass executions occurred, has frustrated many observers and victims, and even the staunchest supporters of the trial, which began in 2011, have been ambivalent about the process.
“We knew that the court would not resolve everything,” said Youk Chhang, founder of the Documentation Center of Cambodia, an organization that has amassed a trove of documents and photographs from the Khmer Rouge era. “But it was important to have the proceedings.”“We knew that the court would not resolve everything,” said Youk Chhang, founder of the Documentation Center of Cambodia, an organization that has amassed a trove of documents and photographs from the Khmer Rouge era. “But it was important to have the proceedings.”
Though hearings have begun for the two leaders’ second trial, it remains an open question how far the proceedings will go, given the age and frailty of the defendants. Both men have been hospitalized several times over the past three years, leading to multiple delays. Though hearings have begun for the second trial, it remains an open question how far the proceedings will go, given the age and frailty of the defendants. Both men have been hospitalized several times over the past three years, leading to multiple delays.
Another defendant, Ieng Sary, the foreign minister of the Khmer Rouge government, died in 2013, and his wife, Ieng Thirith, who was also a minister, was declared mentally unfit for trial. Pol Pot, the Khmer Rouge leader, died in the jungles of northwestern Cambodia in 1998.Another defendant, Ieng Sary, the foreign minister of the Khmer Rouge government, died in 2013, and his wife, Ieng Thirith, who was also a minister, was declared mentally unfit for trial. Pol Pot, the Khmer Rouge leader, died in the jungles of northwestern Cambodia in 1998.
The trial judges’ decision to split the huge indictment into smaller cases was made in the belief that it would expedite a verdict. But prosecutors and victims argued that the selection of crimes to hear in the first part of the trial was poor.The trial judges’ decision to split the huge indictment into smaller cases was made in the belief that it would expedite a verdict. But prosecutors and victims argued that the selection of crimes to hear in the first part of the trial was poor.
“For people who pay attention to details, it’s a pretty narrow verdict,” said Anne Heindel, the co-author of “Hybrid Justice,” a recent book on the tribunal. “It doesn’t encompass many of the things that people think about when they think about the Khmer Rouge, so many of the crimes that victims experienced and remember: when they worked in cooperatives, when they were starving.”“For people who pay attention to details, it’s a pretty narrow verdict,” said Anne Heindel, the co-author of “Hybrid Justice,” a recent book on the tribunal. “It doesn’t encompass many of the things that people think about when they think about the Khmer Rouge, so many of the crimes that victims experienced and remember: when they worked in cooperatives, when they were starving.”
Mr. Nuon Chea, who was the deputy secretary of the Communist Party of Kampuchea under Pol Pot, defended Khmer Rouge policies as necessary to the development of a “people’s democratic revolution.” He said Phnom Penh was evacuated out of “kindness and generosity” because the leadership feared that the capital would be bombed by the American military. Mr. Nuon Chea, who was the deputy secretary of the Communist Party of Kampuchea under Pol Pot, defended Khmer Rouge policies as necessary to the development of a “people’s democratic revolution.” He said Phnom Penh had been evacuated out of “kindness and generosity” because the leadership feared that the capital would be bombed by the American military.
Mr. Khieu Samphan is a former teacher and Parliament member, known in the 1960s as a frugal and uncorrupt figure. He became the Khmer Rouge’s head of state in 1976 and served for years as a figurehead for the regime. Many witnesses testified that they refused to believe that he knew of high-level decisions to evacuate urban centers and purge the country of supposed traitors.Mr. Khieu Samphan is a former teacher and Parliament member, known in the 1960s as a frugal and uncorrupt figure. He became the Khmer Rouge’s head of state in 1976 and served for years as a figurehead for the regime. Many witnesses testified that they refused to believe that he knew of high-level decisions to evacuate urban centers and purge the country of supposed traitors.
Some of the nearly 4,000 victims who filed claims in the trial were in the courtroom gallery on Thursday, including Norng Chan Phal, who was a boy when he was jailed in the infamous S-21 prison in Phnom Penh, where his parents were tortured before being executed.Some of the nearly 4,000 victims who filed claims in the trial were in the courtroom gallery on Thursday, including Norng Chan Phal, who was a boy when he was jailed in the infamous S-21 prison in Phnom Penh, where his parents were tortured before being executed.
“We have been waiting for this verdict for more than 30 years,” he said outside the courthouse, adding that he wanted the defendants denied a proper burial. “After they die, their bodies should be kept in the prison cells.”“We have been waiting for this verdict for more than 30 years,” he said outside the courthouse, adding that he wanted the defendants denied a proper burial. “After they die, their bodies should be kept in the prison cells.”
The verdict was broadcast live on Cambodian television and has been widely covered in the local news media. But among young people, there has been limited interest.The verdict was broadcast live on Cambodian television and has been widely covered in the local news media. But among young people, there has been limited interest.
Some were not even aware that a verdict was being issued. Across the street from the courthouse on Thursday, a group of young garment workers from a nearby factory gathered to stare, wondering aloud what was taking place.Some were not even aware that a verdict was being issued. Across the street from the courthouse on Thursday, a group of young garment workers from a nearby factory gathered to stare, wondering aloud what was taking place.
Nuon Chantha, 24, said she knew very little about the proceedings.Nuon Chantha, 24, said she knew very little about the proceedings.
“I don’t have much time to pay attention to the hearing,” she said. “I spend most of my day working.”“I don’t have much time to pay attention to the hearing,” she said. “I spend most of my day working.”