Saturday, 2 February 2008

Vietnam: Former Khmer Rouge leader demands bail release

2008/02/01
From: Mathaba

Former Minister of Foreign Affairs under the Khmer Rouge regim, Ieng Sary, who is currently imprisoned for charges of war crimes and crime against humanity, continues to call for bail release, claiming his bad health conditions.

Phnom Penh (VNA) – Local media on January 31 cited Ieng Sary’s lawyer Ang Udom as saying that his client should be placed under house arrest because of his illness.

The appeal that requests that Ieng Sary be released on bail has already been submitted to the Extraordinary Chambers in the Court of Cambodia (ECCC).

According to the lawyer, Ieng Sary suffered from heart problem on January 28 and was sent to hospital afterwards. Doctors had said that Ieng Sary’s heart problem had been aggravated.

Lawyer Ang Udom said that it would be good if his client could remain alive to calify to the tribunal about the truth on the Khmer Rouge genocide.

Meanwhile, ECCC spokesman Reach Sambath said only the five judges of the ECCC can decide on whether Ieng Sary will receive bail release or not.

Ieng Sary, 82, was arrested in Phnom Penh in November and charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity by the ECCC.

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