JEAIL > Volume 4(1); 2011 > Student Contribution
Research Paper
Published online: May 30, 2011
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.14330/jeail.2011.4.1.10

Dispensation of Justice by the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia: A Critical Appraisal

M. Ehteshamul Bari
Manarat International University, Malaysia
Bungalow No-55, Jalan (Street)- 16/2, Section-16, 46350 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.
Corresponding Author: mebari07@gmail.com

ⓒ Copyright YIJUN Institute of International Law
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

This article examines the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia established to try those responsible for the atrocities perpetrated against the Cambodian people by the former Khmer Rouge Regime (1975-1979). It focuses on the trial of the first case conducted by the ECCC which resulted in the 'lenient' judgment. The paper then outlines in details the factors such as political interference, corrupt practices and inordinate delay of the legal process which are undermining the ECCC's credibility to administer fair justice to the victims of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. Finally, it stresses on the fact that the failure of the ECCC and its stakeholders to duly address these fundamental issues would end in the farcical dispensation of justice.

Keywords : ECCC, War Crimes, Crimes against Humanity, Genocide, Political Interference, Corruption and Inordinate Delay

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