ECCC, Case 002/01, Issue 18

Case 002/01

ECCC

Cambodia

English

This week, the Ieng Sary and Khieu Samphan Defense Teams examined witness Kaing Guek Eav, alias “Duch.” In a highly-charged inquiry that was fraught with numerous objections and non-responsive answers, Ieng Sary’s international counsel, Mr. Michael Karnavas, questioned Duch on his previous statements. Karnavas sought to prove that the Witness was merely a mid-level cadre who did not personally know how the leaders of Democratic Kampuchea made decisions. Karnavas submitted that Duch gained his knowledge about the regime, not contemporaneously but from his personal research for Case 001. Counsel further averred that Duch never had any interactions with Ieng Sary or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). Khieu Samphan’s international counsel, Mr. Arthur Vercken, aimed to show that his client had nothing to do with confessions, and that Duch’s statements relating to Khieu Samphan were either hearsay, mere assumptions, or based on information obtained from inadmissible S-21 confessions. He also pointed out inconsistencies in Duch’s statements. As Vercken finished his examination earlier than anticipated, the Chamber allowed Nuon Chea’s national counsel, Mr. Son Arun, to ask questions and conclude his own examination of the Witness. Upon the conclusion of Duch’s testimony, the Chamber announced a short recess for the Khmer New Year, with proceedings to resume on 18 April 2012.