With the coordination and assistance of the Victims Support Section, one hundred and fifty Civil Parties attended the Pronouncement of the Appeal Judgement by the Supreme Court Chamber of the ECCC on 22 September 2022. They represented a broad segment of Civil Parties selected with criteria, including sex, ethnicity, geographic location, and charges heard in Case 002/02 trial. Following the hearing of the judgment, the Civil Parties were taken to DK Meeting Center in Phnom Penh to meet with their legal representatives and to discuss the judgment. They voiced their satisfaction with the judgment and raised many issues that continue to be significant to them as well as their communities.
The Covid-19 pandemic did not allow large gatherings. As a result, VSS has coordinated and organized several small meetings in communities to allow Civil Parties to meet with their legal representatives so that recent developments of Case 002/02 could be communicated. Since the beginning of 2022, the VSS has organized three forums and will continue to conduct more to provide updates on the SCC’s Appeal Judgement. The VSS also facilitated Civil Parties participation in Victims Workshop conducted in May 2022 by the ECCC’s Administration, and to meet with PDG (Principal Donors Group for the ECCC) to discuss their ongoing concerns and requests. .
The coordination of Civil Parties to join forums, hearing and discussions with lawyers is the mandate of the VSS. The recent coordination has been made possible through the funding from Civil Peace Service of GIZ.