Kaing Guek Eav, alias Duch, on Friday asked judges at the Khmer Rouge tribunal to release him, and his lawyer later clarified that the former chief of Tuol Sleng prison was seeking an acquittal on war crimes and crimes against humanity charges.
Duch’s surprise request came at the end of a 17-minute statement, his last before the Trial Chamber, during which he acknowledged his involvement in Khmer Rouge-era crimes, including the execution of more than 12,000 Tuol Sleng prisoners, but said they were committed by a “criminal party”.
“I still maintain my position that I am responsible for the crimes as the member of the criminal party,” he said. “At the beginning, I thought that the party would be a decent one, but later on it was the criminal party, and I was part of the party.”
Duch also noted that he had served more than 10 years in detention, and stressed that he had been fully cooperative with the tribunal.
“So I would ask the chamber to release me. I’m very grateful, your honours,” he concluded.
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Duch’s surprise request came at the end of a 17-minute statement, his last before the Trial Chamber, during which he acknowledged his involvement in Khmer Rouge-era crimes, including the execution of more than 12,000 Tuol Sleng prisoners, but said they were committed by a “criminal party”.
“I still maintain my position that I am responsible for the crimes as the member of the criminal party,” he said. “At the beginning, I thought that the party would be a decent one, but later on it was the criminal party, and I was part of the party.”
Duch also noted that he had served more than 10 years in detention, and stressed that he had been fully cooperative with the tribunal.
“So I would ask the chamber to release me. I’m very grateful, your honours,” he concluded.
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