Former Khmer Rouge Minister Appears Before Cambodian Court
前红色高棉外交部长在柬法院出庭
Former Khmer Rouge foreign minister leng Sary appeared before Cambodia's genocide tribunal to press for his release from pretrial detention. He is one of five defendants being held by the so-called Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia, set up to try the former leaders of the ultra-Maoist group for crimes against humanity.
前红色高棉外交部长英萨利在柬埔寨一个审判种族灭绝的法庭上敦促法庭不要再对他进行审前羁押。他是被所谓的柬埔寨法院特别法庭羁押的5名被告之一。设立这个法庭是审判前极端的毛派组织领导人犯下的反人类罪。
Looking visibly infirm, 82-year-old leng Sary appeared in court today to appeal for his release from pre-trial detention on the grounds of ill-health.
82岁的英萨利看上去身体非常虚弱。他星期一在法庭上以身体有病为由呼吁法庭不要再对他进行审前羁押。
His lawyers said that he is too old and frail to pose a flight-risk or to threaten potential witnesses, and asked that he be placed under house arrest until his trial begins, probably next year.
他的律师说,英萨利年老体弱,不会构成逃跑的风险,也不会威胁可能的目击者。他们要求法庭在审理之前,对他实行软禁。法庭预计可能于明年开始审理。
Leng Sary is charged with crimes against humanity, committed during the brutal 1975-1979 rule by the Khmer Rouge, when almost two million people died from starvation, disease, overwork and execution.
英萨利被指控在红色高棉统治的1975年到1979年间犯下反人类罪。那段时间将近200万人死于饥饿、疾病、过度劳累和处决。
Known as 'Brother Number Three' in the organization's secretive hierarchy, he was deputy prime minister as well as foreign minister of Democratic Kampuchea, as Cambodia was renamed by the Khmer Rouge. Using his position, he encouraged thousands of Cambodians living abroad to come home. Almost all were later executed.
英萨利在红色高棉内部的秘密排名中以“第三把手”著称。他曾经是民主柬埔寨的副总理兼外交部长。柬埔寨后来被改名为红色高棉。英萨利利用其职位鼓励居住在国外的数以千计的柬埔寨人回国。这些人后来几乎都被处决。
Youk Channg is the director of the Documentation Center of Cambodia, which is compiling evidence on the Khmer Rouge regime ahead of the upcoming trials.
尤区汉是柬埔寨档案中心的主任,负责在开庭审理之前搜集红色高棉集团的有关证据。
"He is sort of the international face of the Khmer Rouge, out there [to] convince the world, and the West, to believe that the regime was a success and was good for the country," said Channg. "His mission [was] to bring Cambodians abroad back to the country to help build the revolution - and usually [the] people ended up executed."
他说:“他在某种程度上是红色高棉在国际上抛头露面的人物,在国际上说服全球,说服西方,相信红色高棉集团的成功,以及对那个国家的好处。他的使命是让在海外的柬埔寨人回国,帮助建设革命,但通常这些回国的人最后都被处决。”
leng Sary was given an amnesty by the government in 1996 as a reward for breaking with the Khmer Rouge, along with hundreds of his supporters. Until his arrest last year, he lived in a palatial villa in the capital Phnom Penh, earning a small-fortune from gold and precious-stones interests.
英萨利1996年被柬埔寨政府大赦,以此作为他断绝同红色高棉关系的奖励。他的数百名支持者也断绝了同红色高棉的关系。在去年被捕前,他一直住在首都金边的一个宫殿式别墅里,靠着黄金和珍贵珠宝利息滋生的一小笔财富生活。
Youk Channg says his prosecution is seen as particularly important for many Cambodians.
尤区汉说,对很多柬埔寨人来说,起诉英萨利被认为尤其意义重大。
"He [was] the untouchable Khmer Rouge leader that has been protected by the government, given amnesty by the kings, and have so much money," said Channg. "So for all of us who is the victims having him arrested makes a huge difference."
他说:“他是不能动的红色高棉领导人,受到柬埔寨政府的保护,被国王赦免,家财万贯。因此,对于我们这些受害者来说,逮捕英萨利意义非凡。”
leng Sary is one of five defendants being held by the tribunal, which plans to begin its first trial later this year. His wife, 76-year-old Ieng Thirith, who served as the Khmer Rouge's social affairs minister, is also being held on charges of crimes against humanity.
英萨利是特别法庭羁押的5名被告之一。特别法庭计划今年晚些时候首次开庭审理。英萨利76岁的夫人英蒂丽曾担任红色高棉的社会事务部长,目前也因被指控犯下反人类罪受到关押。
A decision on leng Sary's appeal is not expected for a couple of weeks. Similar appeals by other defendants have been rejected.
对于英萨利请求不要对他审前羁押的裁决预计不会在几个星期之内做出。其他被告提出的类似诉求都被拒绝。