(MENAFN- The Journal Of Turkish Weekly) A war crimes tribunal in Phnom Penh released Wednesday a number of key documents related to a government-opposed case, showing that the court's investigating judge issued an arrest warrant that was ignored by Cambodia's judicial police.
The suspect, Meas Muth, has been charged with crimes against humanity and war crimes in what is known as Case 003 at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC).
He is the former commander of the Khmer Rouge navy and has been accused of presiding over mass killings and purges in areas under his control.
While the government in Phnom Penh broadly supports the ECCC, it has vehemently opposed investigations in Case 003 and another case known as 004, saying that the suspects being examined were too low ranking and that the court could spark civil war.
The court's Cambodian staff have been boycotting the two cases, while international staff have been struggling for years to proceed.
The documents released Wednesday confirm that an American investigating judge, Mark Harmon, issued a summons for Muth in Nov. 2014 ordering him to appear before the court in December.
Muth refused to appear, responding in a letter that he did not believe the summons was valid because it was not signed by a Cambodian judge. He also said his fair trial rights had been infringed because he had not been given access to the files on the investigation into his alleged crimes.
"It appears that it is your position that in order for me to be afforded accesses to the Case File so I can fully enjoy my right to a defence and my right to assist in my own defence, I must comply with your summons. This quid pro quo is offensive," he wrote to the judge.
Judge Harmon subsequently issued an arrest warrant for Muth on Dec. 10, ordering Cambodian judicial police to bring him before the court.
"The Judicial Police shall bring Meas Mut[h] before the International Co-Investigating Judge for an Initial Appearance," the arrest warrant reads.
"If Meas Mut[h], due to the circumstances, cannot be brought before the International Co-Investigating Judge immediately, he shall be placed in temporary detention, wherever possible in the detention facility of the ECCC, and presented to the International Co-Investigating Judge as soon as possible."
The police never apprehended Muth, who is still believed to be living in the former Khmer Rouge stronghold of Samlot in western Cambodia, and the judge finally decided to charge him in absentia.
The documents were released after Muth's lawyers requested that they be made public in the name of transparency.
The ECCC has already convicted three people - a prison commandant and two senior Khmer Rouge leaders. A fourth accused leader died during his trial, and a fifth was ruled incompetent to stand trial due to age-related dementia.
Another suspect in Case 003, Khmer Rouge air force commander Sou Met, died before he could be charged.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.