Genocide charges against a Cambodian ex-Khmer Rouge commander were dropped on Friday by the United Nations-backed court set up to try leaders of the brutal regime, according to a statement.

The Khmer Rouge, also known as the Communist Party of Kampuchea, sought to transform Cambodia into an agrarian utopia, but instead killed as many as two million people. Ex-navy commander Meas Muth was charged in 2015 with genocide against Cambodia's ethnic Vietnamese minority during Khmer Rouge rule from 1975 to 1979.

 

He was also charged with torture, premeditated homicide and crimes against humanity, although wrangling between Cambodian and international judges meant he was never summoned to appear before the court. The Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC), as the tribunal is formally known, was set up with UN backing in 2006 using a mix of Cambodian and international law.

 

It has convicted three people and cost more than $300 million. The court announced Friday it was terminating the case against Meas Muth "in the absence of a definitive and enforceable indictment". Cambodian judges had argued Meas Muth was too junior to fall under the court's jurisdiction of trying senior Khmer Rouge leaders.

read more https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20211217-un-backed-court-drops-genocide-charges-against-ex-khmer-rouge-commander

 

 

 

Ex-navy commander Meas Muth was charged in 2015 with genocide against Cambodia's ethnic Vietnamese minority during Khmer Rouge rule TANG CHHIN SOTHY AFP

 

"The Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC), as the tribunal is formally known, was set up with UN backing in 2006 using a mix of Cambodian and international law.
It has convicted three people and cost more than $300 million."

 

$300 million to convict just three people after so many years of investigation. Seems like there's some great inefficiency in that process!  ????