Cambodia Tribunal Monitor Web Site Posts Video of First Pre-Trial Public Hearing...
Cambodia Tribunal Monitor Web Site Posts Video of First Pre-Trial PublicHearing on Cambodia Tribunalhttp://www.CambodiaTribunal.orgCHICAGO, Nov. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- The Cambodia Tribunal Monitor Web sitetoday posted complete videotaped coverage of the first pre-trial publichearing of appeal by Person Under Detention Kaing Guek Eav in the long-awaitedspecial war crimes tribunal in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
The November 20 public hearing, held by the Extraordinary Chambers in theCourts of Cambodia (ECCC), concerned the appeal of Kiang Guek Eav, also knownas "Comrade Duch," against the Order for Provisional Detention. Duch has beencharged with carrying out executions and torture at the Tuol Sleng prison,where 17,000 people were incarcerated in Phnom Penh during the Khmer Rougeregime.
The Web site will offer complete videotaped footage throughout the courtproceedings and serve as the leading independent source of news andinformation on the upcoming trials of senior officials of the Khmer Rougeregime for atrocity crimes. The formal trials are expected to begin early2008.
The Web site currently posts news updates and guest commentaries byleading international experts on the recent history of Cambodia, politics,human rights and international law. It also provides background information onthe history of the Khmer Rouge and ECCC and important resources such as courtdocuments and bibliographies of scholarly articles and books. Eventually, itwill also include video interviews with Cambodian citizens documenting theirreaction to events.
From April 1975 to January 1979, an estimated 1.7 million Cambodiancitizens died under the Khmer Rouge regime. After nearly 10 years ofnegotiations, this special war crimes tribunal has commenced. The ECCC, as thespecial Cambodian court is formally known, will oversee the proceedings and isa joint partnership of the United Nations and the Royal Government ofCambodia.
Background on the Cambodia Tribunal Monitor Web site:
The Cambodia Tribunal Monitor was developed by a consortium of academic,philanthropic and non-profit organizations committed to providing publicaccess to the tribunal and open discussion throughout the judicial process.The academic manager and sponsor of the site is Northwestern University Schoolof Law's Center for International Human Rights, joined by co-sponsorsDocumentation Center of Cambodia and the Illinois Holocaust Museum andEducation Center. The prime sponsor of the site is the J.B. and M.K. PritzkerFamily Foundation.
The Web site concept was conceived by Illinois State Senator JeffSchoenberg, a Chicago-area legislator who also advises the Pritzker family onits philanthropy. In January 2007, Schoenberg participated in a trip sponsoredby Build Cambodia, a U.S. based not-for-profit organization dedicated tohelping Cambodians build their lives and society. As a result of theexperience, Schoenberg enlisted the support of the aforementioned sponsors,and with their assistance the Cambodia Tribunal Monitor was created.SOURCE Cambodia Tribunal MonitorKatie Clark of Jasculca-Terman and Associates, +1-312-573-5514, cell,+1-773-914-2993
