Although Cambodia suffered a genocide that killed as many as 2 million people, the special tribunal courts will follow the rule of law, not emotion, as they bring the architects of the Khmer Rouge to trial, a spokesman said Thursday.
"Khieu Samphan wrote a book and issued an MP3 [digital recording] to deny his role, but what the court does is not just believe the claims of the accused," said Reach Sambath, a spokesman for the Khmer Rouge tribunal, referring to the most recently apprehended member of the regime. "We have to find evidence and witnesses against him."
Reach Sambath, who said his father was killed by Khmer Rouge soldiers, said by law the court will try only two groups: senior leaders and those most responsible for the genocide.
The mental state of the accused will be checked by medical staff, to make sure feigned insanity is not used as a defense, Reach Sambath said, as a guest on "Hello VOA."