The Khmer Rouge tribunal’s international co-investigating Judge Marcel Lemonde had summoned six senior government officials for witness testimony, including Senate President Chea Sim, National Assembly President Heng Samrin, Foreign Minister Hor Namhong, Finance Minister Keat Chhom and Senators Sim Ka and Ouk Bunchoeun.
Giving speech to mark the 30th anniversary of the reconstruction of the Central Bank at Chaktomuk conference hall, Prime Minister Hun Sen criticized the Khmer Rouge tribunal’s Co-Investigating Judge for summoning the plaintiffs to be witness.
He added that those are the people who toppled Pol Pot’s regime and they also are the people who made the law to try the former Khmer Rouge leaders.
“They will put more blame on the defendants, it they become witness,” said the Premier.
Government adviser Tit Sothea called the summonses “wrong,” saying to call senior leaders of the ruling party to court could weaken social safety and political stability, according to VOA.
Lars Olsen, the tribunal’s legal communications officer, was quoted by the Cambodia Daily as saying that the court anticipates that those summoned would comply with Judge Lemonde’s orders despite their senior positions or parliamentary immunity.
“This is a good means, by which [Lemonde] informed the public about who knows about the Khmer Rouge,” he said. In his role as investigating judge, “he should summon all people who know about the killing fields of Democratic Kampuchea,” reported VOA.
According to the each letters dated September 25, and bearing the signature of International Co-Investigating Judge Marchel Lemonde, it addressed to Chea Sim and Heng Samrin both summon them on the basis of “a request” from a group of unnamed lawyers, whereas Senators Sim Ka and Ouk Bunchhoeun are being called to court on the basis of unspecified comments they made during interviews on August 7 and August 14, 1990, reported the Phnom Penh Post.
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