Biography of Former Khmer Rouge Leader Khieu Samphan
Buth Reaksmey Kongkea
According to the ECCC's documents, former Khmer Rouge Leader Khieu Samphan has the following history and background:
Khieu Samphan received a bursary to study in France in 1955 and published his doctoral dissertation “Cambodia's economy and industrial development”.
Upon his return to Cambodia, Khieu Samphan became a professor before being appointed Secretary of State for Trade in Sihanouk’s regime in 1962.
Under threat from Sihanouk’s security forces, he
allegedly went into hiding in 1967 and reemerged within the Khmer Rouge
resistance in the early 1970s.
In 1976 he was appointed Democratic Kampuchea’s Head of State. He succeeded Pol Pot after the latter retired as the official head of the Khmer Rouge in 1987, and represented Democratic Kampuchea at the 1989 International Conference on Cambodia in Paris.
After pledging allegiance to the Cambodian government in 1998, he left the Khmer Rouge and lived in the north-western province of Pailin until being arrested in placed in provisional detention at the ECCC in November 2007.
Alias |
Hem |
Date of Birth |
Tue, 07/28/1931 - 07:00
|
Place of birth |
Svay Rieng |
Arrested date |
Mon, 11/19/2007 - 07:00
|
Defence counsel |
Mr. Kong Sam Onn
(Cambodia), Mr. Arthur Vercken (France), Ms. Anta Guisse (France) |
Alleged Position
in Democratic Kampuchea |
Head of State (Chairman of the State Presidium) of Democratic Kampuchea. |
Status of case |
Khieu Samphan has been indicted and sent to trial for Crimes against
Humanity, Grave Breaches of the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and Genocide,
offences which are defined and punishable under Articles 4,5, 6, 29 (New) and
39 (New) of the Law on the Establishment of the Extraordinary Chambers as
amended on 27 October 2004. The initial hearing in the trial was held 27-30 June 2011, and the
substantive part of the trial in Case 002/01 commenced with opening
statements on 21 November 2011, and ended with final statements on 31 October
2013. The trial judgment was pronounced on 7 August 2014. Khieu Samphan was found guilty of crimes against humanity and sentenced
to life imprisonment. On 23 November 2016, the Supreme Court Chamber quashed
part of the convictions but affirmed life imprisonment for Khieu Samphan
in Case 002/01. Trial hearings in Case 002/02 commenced on 17 October 2014.
The presentation of evidence started on 8 January 2015 and concluded on
11 January 2017. Closing statements were held from 13 -23 June 2017. The trial
judgment in Case 002/02 is expected in the second quarter of 2018. On 16 November 2018, the Trial Chamber of the Extraordinary Chambers in
the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) convicted KHIEU Samphan of genocide,
crimes against humanity and grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions of 1949. |
Key indictment allegations |
Khieu Samphan is alleged to be responsible, through his acts or
omissions (committed via a joint criminal enterprise), for having planned,
instigated, ordered, or aided and abetted, or being responsible by virtue of
superior responsibility, for the following crimes committed between 17 April
1975 and 6 January 1979:
|
Cases |
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