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On 19 November 2007, KHIEU Samphan was brought before the Office of the Co-Investigating Judges of the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia in execution of an arrest warrant. An initial appearance will be held today during which he will be informed of the charges which have been brought against him. Further details will be available shortly.

On 19 November 2007, the Co-Investigating Judges of the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia charged Khieu Samphan with crimes against humanity and war crimes. Following a adversarial hearing held later that same day, the Co-Investigating Judges deliberated and decided to order his provisional detention. The Orders of Provisional Detention will be posted shortly on the web site.

Mr. KHIEU Samphan was taken into the custody of the ECCC today. The Defence Support Section has assigned two lawyers selected by Mr. KHIEU Samphan from the ECCC List of Lawyers. They are Dr SAY Bory of the Cambodian Bar and Mr Jacques VERGÈS of the Paris Bar. Dr Say is the most senior member of the Bar Association of the Kingdom of Cambodia, and was the first President of the Bar on its creation in 1995. He was a member of the Constitutional Council from 1998 until 2004 when he returned to private practice. He also acts as legal advisor to H.M. King Sihanouk the King Father. Mr. Jacques Vergès has been a member of the Paris Bar since 1955. In the 1960s he defended a number of cases before French military tribunals arising out of the conflict in Algeria. In 1987 he represented Klaus Barbie before the Lyon cour d’assises on charges of crimes against humanity from of the Second World War. He has represented a number of other high profile clients before domestic and international tribunals. The Co-Lawyers have been provisionally assigned whilst the Defence Support Section assesses whether Mr Khieu Samphan has sufficient freely available assets to pay for his legal team for the next two years.

On 12 November 2007 Ieng Sary and Ieng Thirith were charged, the former for crimes against humanity and war crimes and the latter for crimes against humanity. Their lawyers asked for time to prepare their defence and, consequently, requested the adjournment of the adversarial hearing on the question of pre-trial detention. The Co-Investigating Judges considered this request reasonable and have decided that the adversarial hearing will take place on 14 November 2007, the two charged persons being, in the meantime, placed in police custody in the detention centre of the ECCC. Both charged persons will, today, have some medical examinations at Calmette Hospital. Further details will be communicated shortly.

Pre-Trial Chamber schedules Tuesday 20 November 2007 at 1030 for Public Hearing of Appeal by Kaing Guek Eav (Duch) against Order for Provisional Detention. (see Scheduling Order) The hearing will be preceded by a directions hearing on Thursday 15 November 2007 at 1000 which, while also public, will be devoted to procedural issues in preparation for the hearing on substantive matters to be held on 20 November. Further details regarding public and media access to the hearings will be posted shortly.

Pre-Trial Chamber of the Extraordinary Chambers invites amicus curiae briefs relating to the appeal by Kaing Guek Eav, alias Duch, against the Order of Provisional Detention by the Co-Investigating Judges (see public notice).

The course designed for those who wish to be included in the list of Case Managers eligible to assist ECCC defence teams assigned to cases before the ECCC (see DSS training in Future Events paragraph)

On 23 August 2007, Mr Kar Savuth and Mr François Roux, co-lawyers for the Charged Person Mr Kaing Guek Eav alias Duch, lodged an appeal against the Order of Provisional Detention issued against the Charged Person by the Co-Investigating Judges on 31 July 2007. The case file has been sent to the Pre-Trial Chamber, which will deal with the matter expeditiously.