Khmer Rouge tribunal begins lawyer selection process

Phnom Penh - Lawyers were Tuesday invited to submit their names to represent a handful of former Khmer Rouge cadre expected to be tried before the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC), the media section of the court said in a statement.

The 56-million dollar joint UN-Cambodia tribunal is hoped to get underway later this year, although whom it will try has not yet been decided.

The Defence Support Section (DSS) of the ECCC said the list was open to both Cambodian and international lawyers who may be selected by clients to defend cases before the ECCC.

'We expect lawyers from all over the world to apply to be included in the list,' the statement quoted DSS head Rubert Skilbeck as saying.

'We have already had a great deal of interest from lawyers in Australia, Canada, France, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, the UK and the US. I am confident that we will be able to build strong defence teams for everyone brought before the court in order to ensure fair trials.'

The statement said accused persons before the ECCC may be represented by co-lawyers - one Cambodian and one foreign.

Both Cambodian and foreign co-lawyers have to demonstrate established competence in criminal law and procedure at a national or international level. Foreign co-lawyers will also have to possess 10 years of relevant experience, the statement said.

Foreign lawyers will also have to pay a fee of 500 dollars after a decision by the Bar Council of the Kingdom of Cambodia earlier this year. Lawyers can submit their applications via the ECCC website.

The statement said co-lawyers will be assisted by a defence team made up of legal consultants and case managers. The DSS also announced applications were open for these positions as of Tuesday.

The ultra-Maoist Khmer Rouge's 1975-79 Democratic Kampuchea regime is held responsible for the deaths of up to 2 million Cambodians in its drive to turn the country into an agrarian utopia, free of markets, money and social classes.

Its leader, Pol Pot, died without facing justice in 1998. Most surviving leaders are elderly and many claim to be in frail health.