Khieu Samphan Defense Counsel Arthur Vercken Resigns

by Leonie Kijewski, LLM, Maastricht University
— 30 Nov, 2015

Today, the Court published a letter by Khieu Samphan that indicates that Arthur Vercken has decided to resign as Khieu Samphan’s International Defense Co-Counsel. The Trial Chamber Judges and the other parties of Case 002 were informed in an e-mail by Mr. Vercken last Friday. Khieu Samphan states that he had received a letter from Mr. Vercken on November 20 that indicated his intention to withdraw as Khieu Samphan’s Co-Counsel in Case 002/02, while expressing his wish to participate in the remaining hearings of Case 002/01. Mr. Vercken did not publish any reasons for his decision.

Arthur Vercken (right) and Khieu Samphan (left). Source: ECCC Flickr

Mr. Vercken’s last day in attendance at a trial hearing of Case 002/02 was three months ago – on August 27 – when he explained why he had walked out of the courtroom the day before.[1] Since then, his international colleague Anta Guissé has represented their client Khieu Samphan. On the first day of the appeal hearings on November 17, Mr. Vercken was present in the courtroom, but returned to France the following day when the Supreme Court Chamber adjourned the appeal hearings for an indefinite time period. According to Khieu Samphan’s letter, Mr. Vercken’s sudden return to France was also prompted by the terrorist attacks in France. Thus, Khieu Samphan could not “discuss his intention with [him].” In light of this, Khieu Samphan “decided to withdraw the assignment of Mr. Arthur Vercken as [his] International Co-Lawyer with immediate effect.” Hence, Mr. Vercken will neither participate in Case 002/02, nor defend Khieu Samphan in the last stage of Case 002/01.

Mr. Vercken has worked as defense counsel for two accused in front of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, defended one accused in front of the ICC and brought a case in front of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.

At the same time, Nuon Chea Defense Counsel Victor Koppe has announced that he will not resign and continue to defend his client, despite his belief that the Court is a “complete farce.”

Relevant Documents:: F32 (Letter by Khieu Samphan) and F30/14/1 (Victor Koppe’s response to the Supreme Court Chamber’s request for explanations for his absence from the appeal hearing)

[1] See: ‘The Straw that Broke the Camel’s Back’ – Defense Teams Explain their Withdrawal from the Hearings (August 27 2015) and “This is a farce” – defense teams boycott proceedings (August 26 2015).

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.