Prosecutors Want Duch in Tribunal Custody To Testify

  • Kong Sothanarith
    VOA Khmer

Journalists take photographs at a television screen showing the trial of Kaing Guek Eav alias Duch, former chief of the S-21 prison, at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) on the outskirts of Phnom Penh, February 3, 2012.

Prosecutors at the Khmer Rouge tribunal have requested that torture chief Kaing Kek Iev remain in detention at the court until he testifies in the case against three former leaders of the regime.

Kaing Kek Iev, better known as Duch, is set to testify on March 20 in the case against leaders Nuon Chea, Khieu Samphan and Ieng Sary.

He was given a life sentence for atrocity crimes as chief of the notorious Tuol Sleng prison and is eventually to be transferred to a government detention facility.

But prosecutors say such a transfer could complicate the process and wrote in a request to the prison department of the Ministry of Interior this week to request he remain at the tribunal until his participation is no longer necessary.

A tribunal spokesman said Duch will testify on the administrative system of the Khmer Rouge.