Australian Cambodians say 35-years for Duch 'not enough'

Monday, July 26, 2010

Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Connor Duffy, Phnom Penh
Australia Network News


Cambodians in Australia say a 35-year jail sentence given to a former Khymer Rouge prison chief, was not enough.

Kaing Guek Eav, otherwise known as Comrade Duch, was jailed by a court in Cambodia on Monday.

He ran the notorious S-21 prison, where more than 12,000 people were tortured.

The president of Victoria's Cambodian Association, Youhorn Chea, says Duch should have received a longer sentence.

"We believe that he must stay in prison for whole life," he said.

"Myself as a buddhist, I don't want to kill anyone, but we cannot forgive and forget about Comrade Duch."

International and Cambodian judges sentenced Comrade Duch to 35 years in jail, but the judges reduced the term to 30 years because Duch was held illegally in prison by the Cambodian military.

He has already served 11 years in jail and that time will count towards the sentence.

Duch is the first of five surviving Khmer Rouge leaders to face trial at the court for atrocities committed during the late 1970s' regime. ill anyone, but we cannot forgive and forget about Comrade Duch."

0 comments:

Post a Comment

 
 
 

Label

Label

Labels