March 27, 2011
Associated Press
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia – The man who admitted to overseeing the killing of 16,000 people as the Khmer Rouge’s chief prison warden has returned to a courtroom in Cambodia to appeal his 19-year prison sentence.
Kaing Guek Eav — also known as Duch — was convicted last year of war crimes and crimes against humanity. He is the only person so far to be tried by a U.N.-backed tribunal set up to prosecute Khmer Rouge officials. An estimated 1.7 million people were killed under the regime’s 1975-1979 reign.
Defense lawyers say the tribunal has no jurisdiction over Duch, since the court was set up to prosecute top leaders of the Khmer Rouge. They argue that he was not a top leader.
Appeal proceedings started Monday and are expected to finish later this week.
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