Co-Investigating Judges Inveigh Against a Magazine Article

STATEMENT FROM THE CO-INVESTIGATING JUDGES

In view of misrepresentations in the article “Cambodia’s troubled tribunal” published in the 25

May 2011 edition by the International Justice Tribune, the Co-Investigating Judges of the

ECCC point out the following:

 

1. Regarding the allegation “investigating judges (are) threatening the international co-prosecutor with contempt of court”:

The Co-Investigating Judges never threatened this, nor did they ever let it be known that they were considering this; rather this is a malicious rumour intended to disrupt the harmony within the Court.

2. Regarding the reported statement “at this pace, the tribunal is heading for an irreparable crash”:

As the Supreme Court has held hearings on appeals in Case 001, and as the Trial Chamber scheduledinitial hearings in Case 002 for 27-30 June 2011, furthermore as the Pre Trial Chamber is successfully dealing with the caseload of more than 1,700 individual appeals, and as the Office of Co-Investigating Judges and the Office of the Co-Prosecutors are working normally (despite certain disagreements), the assertion that the tribunal is heading for a crash is baseless.

3. The reported statements “the tribunal is in danger of collapse” and “the court’s future hangs in the balance” are therefore nonsensical and do not correspond with reality.

The Co-Investigating Judges have worked independently from outside interference, will continue to resist all such attempts, and are resolved to defend their independence against outside interference,

wherever it may come from.