Tuesday, 29 January 2008

Tribunal Judges Prepare for Trials


By Mean Veasna,
VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
28 January 2008

Khmer Rouge tribunal judges said Monday they were preparing for upcoming trials, seeking ways to improve on internal rules governing the operation of the courts.

“Our court is getting close to the trial stage. Therefore this plenary session has a clear and urgent agenda, such as observations on ways to improve internal rules related to the management of procedures in the court,” said judge Kom Srim, chief of the tribunal Supreme Court Chamber and head of the session.

Twenty-four of 25 judges were prepared to adopt several key amendments to the internal rules of the tribunal, he said.

Some changes are necessary now that the trials are progressing, especially with the arrests now of five Khmer Rouge leaders, said trial chamber judge Sylvia Cartwright.

“There remain many different legal, judicial, administrative and financial issues to be resolved,” she said.
The internal rules were the sticking point for the formation of the tribunal, and even though they have now been adopted, critics worry the tribunal will run out of money.

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