Editing Khmer Rouge (section)

=== Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia ===
[[File:Kang Kek Iew (Kaing Guek Eav or Duch) before the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia - 20090720.jpg|thumb|[[Kang Kek Iew]] before the [[Cambodian Genocide Tribunal]] on 20 July 2009]]
The [[Khmer Rouge Tribunal|Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia]] (ECCC) was established as a Cambodian court with international participation and assistance to bring to trial senior leaders and those most responsible for crimes committed during the Khmer Rouge regime.<ref name="Cambodia 2012">{{Cite web|date=7 December 2020|title=ECCC Homepage|url=https://www.eccc.gov.kh/en|access-date=26 December 2019|archive-date=4 June 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230604222122/https://www.eccc.gov.kh/en|url-status=live}}</ref> As of 2020, there are three open cases.<ref name="Cambodia 2012" /> ECCC's efforts for outreach toward both national and international audience include public trial hearings, study tours, video screenings, school lectures and video archives on the web site.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.eccc.gov.kh/sites/default/files/Outreach%20statestics%20as%20of%20September%202017.pdf|title=Outreach Statistics 2017 ECCC|date=30 September 2017|publisher=Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia|access-date=21 October 2018|archive-date=21 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181021232441/https://www.eccc.gov.kh/sites/default/files/Outreach%20statestics%20as%20of%20September%202017.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>

After claiming to feel great remorse for his part in Khmer Rouge atrocities, Duch, head of Tuol Sleng where 16,000 men, women and children were sent to their deaths, surprised the court in his trial on 27 November 2009 with a plea for his freedom. His Cambodian lawyer, Kar Savuth, stunned the tribunal further by issuing the trial's first call for an acquittal of his client even after his French lawyer denied seeking such a verdict.<ref>{{cite news|title=Surprise plea in Khmer Rouge trial|publisher=Associated Press, via The Raleigh [[News & Observer]]|last1=Cheang|first1=Sopheng|last2=Hunt|first2=Luke|date=28 November 2009}}</ref> On 26 July 2010, he was convicted and sentenced to thirty years imprisonment. [[Theary Seng]] responded: "We hoped this tribunal would strike hard at impunity, but if you can kill 14,000 people and serve only 19 years&nbsp;– 11 hours per life taken&nbsp;– what is that? It's a joke", voicing concerns about political interference.<ref name="Petty">{{cite news|title=Senior Khmer Rouge Cadre Jailed for Mass Murder, Torture|first1=Martin|last1=Petty|author2=Prak Chan Thul<!-- Did not use first2=, etc., because not sure what order Prak Chan Thul's name goes in. -->|date=26 July 2010|publisher=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-cambodia-rouge-idUSTRE66P0EH20100726|access-date=2 August 2015|archive-date=4 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160204011305/http://www.reuters.com/article/us-cambodia-rouge-idUSTRE66P0EH20100726|url-status=live}}</ref> In February 2012, Duch's sentence was increased to life imprisonment following appeals by both the prosecution and defence. In dismissing the defence's appeal, Judge [[Kong Srim]] stated that "Duch's crimes were "undoubtedly among the worst in recorded human history" and deserved "the highest penalty available".<ref>{{cite news|last1=Leng|first1=Maly|last2=Yun|first2=Yun|url=http://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambodia/life-02032012152231.html/|title=Duch Appeal Rejected, Gets Life|publisher=[[Radio Free Asia]]|date=3 February 2012|access-date=26 April 2012|archive-date=29 June 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140629140542/http://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambodia/life-02032012152231.html/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Public trial hearings in Phnom Penh are open to the people of Cambodia over the age of 18 including foreigners.<ref name="eccc.gov.kh">{{cite web|title=Who can attend the trials?|publisher=Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia|url=http://www.eccc.gov.kh/en/faq/who-can-attend-trials|access-date=21 April 2012|archive-date=31 May 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120531003259/http://www.eccc.gov.kh/en/faq/who-can-attend-trials|url-status=live}}</ref> In order to assist people's will to participate in the public hearings, the court provides free bus transportation for groups of Cambodians who want to visit the court.<ref name="eccc.gov.kh" /> Since the commencement of Case 001 trial in 2009 through the end of 2011, 53,287 people participated in the public hearings.<ref name="Cambodia 2012" /> ECCC also has hosted Study Tour Program to help villagers in rural areas understand the history of the Khmer Rouge regime. The court provides free transport for them to come to visit the court and meet with court officials to learn about its work, in addition to visits to the genocide museum and the killing fields.<ref>Di Certo, Bridget (5 January 2012). [http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/KRTalk/krt-visits-top-100000-mark.html "KRT visits top 100,000 mark"]. ''[[Phnom Penh Post]]''. Phnom Penh. Retrieved 21 April 2012.</ref> ECCC also has visited villages to provide video screenings and school lectures to promote their understanding of the trial proceedings.<ref name="Cambodia 2012" /> Furthermore, trials and transcripts are partially available with English translation on the ECCC's website.<ref>{{cite web|title=Video Archive|publisher=Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia|url=http://www.eccc.gov.kh/en/video/archive|access-date=21 April 2012|archive-date=18 April 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120418085032/http://www.eccc.gov.kh/en/video/archive|url-status=live}}</ref>