Witness Testifies about Ministry of Foreign Affairs Matters, Including Disappearances

by Erica Embree, JD/LLM (International Human Rights) candidate, Class of 2015, Northwestern University School of Law
— 30 Jul, 2012

Monday, July 30, 2012 marked the prosecution’s third day of examining witness Rochoem Ton, a former bodyguard, messenger, and personnel of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in Case 002 against accused Nuon Chea, Khieu Samphan, and Ieng Sary at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC).

Nearly 300 teenagers from the youth community in Kampong Thom province attended the morning proceedings. In the afternoon, 100 police officers from the Kandal province watched from the public gallery.

As court was called to order, all parties were present in the courtroom, including Ieng Sary, who has regularly been following the proceedings from his holding cell due to his health issues. Trial Chamber President Nil Nonn noted the doctor’s report that Ieng Sary could remain in the courtroom no more than 30 minutes and that he be allowed to observe the proceedings from his holding cell. President Nonn then stated that Ieng Sary wished to address the courtroom before departing for his holding cell. However, Co-Lawyer for Ieng Sary Michael Karnavas stood up instead. He stated that his client was going to address the Court regarding not being capable of attending the proceedings, but that, in light of the Trial Chamber’s ruling, his client did not have anything to say.

Prior to continuing his examination of Witness Rochoem Ton, International Assistant Prosecutor Dale Lysak addressed the schedule for examining the witness. Mr. Lysak said that he would be taking until lunch, with the civil parties receiving the remainder of the time for the day. He said the lawyers for the civil parties had indicated they would need an hour-and-a-half. The total time

allotted to the prosecution and the civil parties to examine the witness was two-and-a-half days. International Civil Party Lead Co-Lawyer Elisabeth Simonneau Fort clarified that, at most, they would need an hour to examine the witness…

Read more: CTM_Blog_7-30-12

Cambodia Tribunal Monitor’s Trial Observer posts are written according to the personal observations and opinions of the writer and do not constitute a transcript of ECCC proceedings or the views of Cambodia Tribunal Monitor and/or its partners. Official court transcripts for the ECCC’s hearings may be accessed at the ECCC website.