World

Khmer Rouge Leader Seeks Freedom

by Jordan Yerman | April 23, 2008 at 06:18 am

183 views | 5 Recommendations | 3 comments

Khieu Samphan, former head of state for the Khmer Rouge, is seeking a release from custody.The Khmer Rouge's handiwork is still a part of everyday life in Cambodia, as landmines still seed the landscape, preventing mass agriculture and crippling citizens every year.

Samphan has been charged with crimes against humanity by the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia, the United Nations backed tribunal investigating the genocide which occured in the 1970s.

During the regime, 1.7 million people died of starvation or were killed.

Samphan was arrested in November and is being detained in Phnom Penh.

In a book published last year, Samphan put the blame on the Khmer Rouge leader, Pol Pot, who died a decade ago.

The Khmer Rouge regime ruled Cambodia between 1975 and 1979, and is blamed for up to two million deaths.

Khieu Samphan has never denied these deaths, but both he and his lawyers insist that, as head of state, he was never directly responsible.

One member of his defence team is the infamous French lawyer Jacques Verges, whose previous clients have included Nazi war criminal Klaus Barbie and Venezuelan hijacker Carlos the Jackal.

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Barry Artiste

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 06:33 on April 23rd, 2008

jordan, I like this story. It's good stuff. The Poor man, I think he should be released on one condition, Give him a metal spoon and a blindfold and state he must first have to personally find and dispose of all landmines first. After all his regime put them there , so it's only fair, as he should know where they all are.