Khmer Rouge Named Suspect Says She Will Not Cooperate With Tribunal

[geovalin]

Kong Sothanarith, VOA Khmer

04 March 2015

PHNOM PENH—

Im Chaem, the former Khmer Rouge district commander named in charges at the Khmer Rouge tribunal this week, says she will refuse to appear in court. In an interview with VOA Khmer, she said she has been wrongly accused.

“They charged me wrongly,” she said in a phone interview. “I did not commit any wrongdoing. I will not appear at the court.”

The international investigating judge at the UN-backed court, however, wants to charge her with numerous war crimes, for her work at a security center and work camp.

The charges, announced Tuesday, accompanied similar charges against Meas Muth, the former head of the Khmer Rouge navy. Contacted Wednesday, his son, Meas Sophas, declined to comment on the case.

But his lawyer, Ang Udom, told VOA Khmer he preparing Meas Muth’s defense. “We are preparing the case file,” Ang Udom said. “We got access to the case file today.”

It remains unclear whether either suspect will be arrested or indicted.

That would require agreement from the Cambodian investigating judge, and further indictments have been strongly opposed by Prime Minister Hun Sen, widely seen as having influence over the Cambodian side of the court.

http://www.voacambodia.com/content/named-suspect-says-she-will-not-cooperate-with-tribunal/2667421.html