Cambodia's war crime court continues closing statements against 2 ailing Khmer Rouge leaders

Cambodia's Khmer Rouge tribunal on Friday continued hearing closing statements in the trial of former senior leaders of the Democratic Kampuchea, or known as Khmer Rouge regime from 1975 to 1979, under which an estimated 1.7 million people had died. The accused persons on trial are ailing Nuon Chea, 86, also known as "Brother Number 2", former deputy secretary of the Communist Party of Kampuchea, and Khieu Samphan, 81, the regime's former head of state. Both are charged with war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, according to the Extraordinary Chambers in the Court of Cambodia (ECCC). "The charges focus on alleged crimes against humanity related to the forced movement of the population from Phnom Penh in April 1975 and later from other regions, and the alleged execution of Khmer Republic soldiers,"the court said. The closing statements started Wednesday with lawyers for the" civil parties" that represent the victims, followed by the statements from the prosecution and the defense, which will last until Oct. 31. The co-prosecutors have delivered their closing statements against two surviving Khmer Rouge leaders since Thursday and are scheduled to run through Monday next week. While the co-prosecutors read the closing statements on Friday, Khieu Samphan sat in the courtroom and Nuon Chea followed the proceedings by watching a video link from a holding cell due to his poor health. "On Monday next week, the co-prosecutors will conclude their closing arguments to the court and they will request the court to punish the two ex-Khmer Rouge leaders," Dim Sovannarom, chief of Public Affairs Section at the ECCC, told Xinhua on Friday."Let's wait and see if the co-prosecutors demand life imprisonment for them." Sovannarom said a verdict for the two accused persons is expected in the first half of 2014. Their trial began in November 2011 with 92 individuals giving evidence during the trial hearings, the court said, adding that the trial has been subject to an unprecedented public interest with nearly 100,000 persons attending the two-year trial. Launched in 2006, the United Nations-backed tribunal is seeking justice for an estimated 1.7 million people who died during the regime from 1975 to 1979 due to starvation, overwork, torture, execution and massacre. In March, another defendant Ieng Sary, former foreign minister of the regime, died on trial at the age of 87 due to illness, while the case against his wife Ieng Thirith, 81, ex-minister of social affairs during the regime, was suspended in September last year after the court ruled dementia left her unfit to stand trial. To date, the cash-strapped tribunal has achieved only one conviction, sentencing ex-chief of Tuol Sleng prison Kaing Guek Eav to life in prison for overseeing the deaths of around 15,000 people during the regime.