Cambodia: Khmer Rouge Trial

On July 26th 2010, the first verdict in the Khmer Rouge Trials was pronounced against Kaing Guek Eav, alias Duch, in charge of the S21 interrogation center between 1975 and 1979, where about 15 000 people were tortured and killed. The first public hearing of the ECCC took place on November 20th 2007. The initial hearing to Duch trial was held on February 17th 2009. Kaing Guek Eav finally was condemned to life imprisonment at his appeal trial on Feb. 3rd 2012.

Khieu Samphan, Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary and his wife Ieng Thirith (both of whom would die during their trial), all top level Khmer Rouge leaders, are the accused in trial case nr 002 and are charged with Crimes again Humanity by the ECCC (Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia).

Nearly 40 years after the fall of the Khmer Rouge regime, Cambodia finally publicly faces its brutal past and hopefully be allowed to put the souls of 1.7 million victims at rest.