Victim Confronts Ex-Khmer Rouge Leader

I have read news on CNN about Khmer Rouge and I feel like this article is really important to let every Cambodian know how forginer is interesting in Cambodia.

CNN:

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) -- A Cambodian genocide victim confronted a former Khmer Rouge leader in the courtroom for the first time Friday, questioning him on who was responsible for the death of some 1.7 million people in the late 1970s.

Theary Seng, whose parents died during the Khmer Rouge regime, took the stand as a representative of the civil party in a hearing on Noun Chea's appeal against his pretrial detention at Cambodia's U.N.-backed genocide tribunal.

Nuon Chea, who was the main ideologist for the now defunct communist group, has been held since September 19 on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity for his involvement in the group's brutal 1975-79 rule, which caused the deaths of an estimated 1.7 million people.
The former Khmer Rouge leader said Thursday he would not try to flee the country to escape from justice as he pressed for an appeal against his pre-trial detention by Cambodia's U.N.-backed tribunal.

He is one of five former Khmer Rouge leaders detained by the tribunal, which is expected to begin holding trials trial later this year, and the second former Khmer Rouge leader to appear before the judges.

Many victims of the Khmer Rouge have long feared that some of the defendants, now aging and infirm, could die before facing trial.

The 1975-1979 communist Khmer Rouge regime is widely considered responsible for the deaths of an estimated 1.7 million people though execution, overwork and starvation.

"We try our best to take care of all the defendants without thinking about the costs ... so that they remain healthy to confront the law," Reach Sambath said earlier this week.

The tribunal earlier said detention of Nuon Chea was necessary to prevent him from pressuring witnesses, destroying evidence or escaping.

The judges said the safety of the 81-year-old Nuon Chea could be at risk if he was released.
His Cambodian lawyer, Son Arun, claimed the tribunal's investigating judges did not have sufficient grounds to detain him and asked the court to postpone the hearing so a foreign lawyer could join him.

He was given until Wednesday to explain how much time was needed.
In December, the pretrial chamber judges ruled against a similar appeal for release by Kaing Guek Eav, also known as Duch, who headed the Khmer Rouge's notorious S-21 prison and torture center.

The tribunal is expected to begin holding trials later this year. The other defendants are Ieng Sary's wife Ieng Thirith, who was minister for social affairs in the Khmer Rouge government, and Khieu Samphan, the former Khmer Rouge head of state.

Source CNN