ECCC, Case 002/01, Issue 8

Case 002/01

ECCC

Cambodia

English

After a three-week recess, the Trial Chamber opened sessions for 2012 with the testimonies of Civil Parties Klan Fit and Romam Yun, and Accused Nuon Chea and Khieu Samphan. Klan Fit and Romam Yun concluded their testimonies by narrating their experiences as CPK cadres, their encounters with the Accused, and their respective experiences with incarceration and forced labor towards the end of the regime. Nuon Chea, on the other hand, testified on the early years of the CPK, until the planning of the evacuation of Phnom Penh. His testimony was frequently stalled by his repeated insistence to see original versions of documents when confronted with evidence from the Case File. The Trial Chamber ruled that, as a matter of procedure, the Parties may refer to electronic copies of Case File documents in court, unless the authenticity of the copy is specifically challenged by another party. Nevertheless, Nuon Chea continued to demand originals all week, becoming increasingly agitated as the days wore on. Khieu Samphan continued to invoke his right to remain silent this week. In spite of his clear unwillingness to answer questions, the Court repeatedly asked him to comment on passages from Case File documents. This triggered frustrated objections from his attorneys.