Torturer Duch asks court for freedom
Source: Agencies |
November 28, 2009, Saturday
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Print Edition
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THE Khmer Rouge prison chief blamed for thousands of deaths at an infamous torture center asked Cambodia's genocide tribunal to release him yesterday, citing the decade he has served in jail and his cooperation with the panel.
The request by Kaing Guek Eav, also known as Duch, stunned the courtroom and raised doubts about the sincerity of his earlier remarks to the panel accepting responsibility for his prison role, asking forgiveness from victims' families and expressing readiness to accept heavy punishment.
Judges declined to act on Duch's request before ending the trial's proceedings, following several days of closing arguments. They did not announce a date for their ruling, which is expected early next year.
Duch commanded the notorious S-21 prison where those accused of disloyalty to the regime were held.
He oversaw the torture and execution of about 16,000 men, women and children during the Khmer Rouge's 1975-79 rule.
Duch said yesterday he had fully cooperated with the tribunal and had been detained since 1999.
"I want to be released from the chamber," he said.
Duch has denied personally killing or torturing the S-21 prisoners, and said he felt compelled by fear for his own life to follow the orders of senior Khmer Rouge leaders.
Duch, the only accused Khmer Rouge leader to acknowledge responsibility for his actions, is charged with crimes against humanity, war crimes, murder and torture, which carry a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
Four other senior Khmer Rouge leaders are awaiting trial.
On Thursday, Duch's French lawyer, Francois Roux, told the court his client was being made a "scapegoat" for the wrongs committed by the Khmer Rouge regime.
The request by Kaing Guek Eav, also known as Duch, stunned the courtroom and raised doubts about the sincerity of his earlier remarks to the panel accepting responsibility for his prison role, asking forgiveness from victims' families and expressing readiness to accept heavy punishment.
Judges declined to act on Duch's request before ending the trial's proceedings, following several days of closing arguments. They did not announce a date for their ruling, which is expected early next year.
Duch commanded the notorious S-21 prison where those accused of disloyalty to the regime were held.
He oversaw the torture and execution of about 16,000 men, women and children during the Khmer Rouge's 1975-79 rule.
Duch said yesterday he had fully cooperated with the tribunal and had been detained since 1999.
"I want to be released from the chamber," he said.
Duch has denied personally killing or torturing the S-21 prisoners, and said he felt compelled by fear for his own life to follow the orders of senior Khmer Rouge leaders.
Duch, the only accused Khmer Rouge leader to acknowledge responsibility for his actions, is charged with crimes against humanity, war crimes, murder and torture, which carry a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
Four other senior Khmer Rouge leaders are awaiting trial.
On Thursday, Duch's French lawyer, Francois Roux, told the court his client was being made a "scapegoat" for the wrongs committed by the Khmer Rouge regime.
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