In August 2014, the two former leaders of the Khmer Rouge were found guilty of crimes against humanity and were given life sentences. Both convicts had later appealed the verdict, while Chea's lawyers submitted 223 grounds for appeal and Samphan's legal team submitted 148 grounds.
"The Supreme Court Chamber affirms the life imprisonment sentence by the Trial Chamber on both Nuon Chea and Khieu Samphan and dismissed the co-prosecutor’s appeal and orders that Nuon Chea and Khieu Samphan remain in the custody of the ECCC [Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia] pending the finalization of the arrangement of their transfer in accordance of their law in the prison where their sentence continue to be served," Kong Srim said in the summary judgement, as quoted by the Khmer Times newspaper.
JUST NOW Supreme Court Chamber of #ECCC upholds some convictions of Noun Chea and Khieu Samphan for crimes against humanity. #Cambodia pic.twitter.com/PkbVfWe9d6
— Jesse (@JesseOverseas) 23 ноября 2016 г.
Khmer Rouge was the name given to the Communist Party of Kampuchea that ruled Cambodia from 1975 until 1979. During the Khmer Rouge rule, the party’s leaders tortured and killed anyone whom they saw as enemies: former officials, minorities and intellectuals.
The deadly period in the history of the Asian country resulted in deaths of some 1.7 million people or about a quarter of the Cambodian nations. The Khmer Rouge leaders have been brought to responsibility over their atrocities that led to the genocide of the Cambodians.
