Judges meet to adopt rules for Khmer Rouge trial http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSBKK22166220070604
Mon Jun 4, 2007
PHNOM PENH (Reuters) - Cambodian and foreign judges began meeting on Monday to agree on complex rules for the long-delayed trial of Pol Pot's top surviving henchmen accused of the "Killing Fields" atrocities. Cambodian Judge Kong Srim, chairman of the meeting due to end on June 13, called for a quick adoption of the rules "so that the court can move forward to provide the justice the Cambodian people and humanity have waited for a long time".
International judges had boycotted the full meeting of the Khmer Rouge tribunal in a dispute over Cambodian legal fees charged on foreign defense lawyers.
It was resolved last month when the Cambodian Bar Association slashed the fees to $500 from $4,900.
Once the rules are agreed, prosecutors will be able to file initial cases against those they deem most responsible for the atrocities during Pol Pot's 1975-79 reign of terror, in which an estimated 1.7 million people died.
Likely defendants are "Brother Number Two" Nuon Chea, former Foreign Minister Ieng Sary, former President Khieu Samphan and Duch, head of the Tuol Sleng interrogation and torture centre in Phnom Penh. The trials are expected to take three years and cost $53 million.
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