The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, today visited the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) as part of his official visit to Cambodia. The Secretary-General was joined by H.E. Deputy Prime Minister Sok An, and he addressed ECCC officials and staff at a town hall meeting in the public gallery of the main courtroom.
In a short speech, the Secretary-General praised the Court’s work and emphasised that the issuance of the Trial Chamber Judgment in Case 001 against Kaing Guek Eav, alias Duch, had demonstrated the ECCC’s ability to conduct complex criminal proceedings involving international crimes in line with international standards. The Secretary-General said that the unprecedented attendance of more than 31,000 people during the first trial clearly illustrated the interest of the Cambodian people and their desire to bring a sense of closure and reconciliation to a harrowing chapter in their history.
The Secretary-General highlighted the close cooperation between the United Nations and the Royal Government of Cambodia in supporting the work of the ECCC, and he reaffirmed his personal commitment to ensuring that the ECCC successfully completes its mandate.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon commends ECCC for its progress
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