Khmer Rouge victims await prison chief's fate

February 02, 2012

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PHNOM PENH, Cambodia – About 100 Khmer Rouge survivors and relatives held a vigil in the courtyard of Cambodia's infamous S-21 prison Thursday (February 2nd), one day before the final verdict in the trial of prison commandant Kaing Guek Eav (aka Duch).

The first Khmer Rouge official to stand before an international tribunal, Duch was originally sentenced to 30 years in prison in 2010. He is appealing for acquittal, but the prosecution is looking for life in prison or 45 years. He has already served about 12 years of his sentence.

In another development, Thailand extradited four Cambodian prisoners Wednesday, but the Sa Kaeo prison chief said it was not in exchange for two Thai activists being held in jail in Phnom Penh for espionage. \

The four extradited men have served a third of their prison time in Thailand and will serve the remainder of their sentences in Cambodia.

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