Case 002/02 trial hearings recommence on 30 November 2015, with one further witness on the Trapeang Thma Dam worksite. The Trial Chamber of the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) will then hear evidence related to charges of genocide and other crimes alleged against the Vietnamese minority in Cambodia during the period of Democratic Kampuchea. Ten witnesses and Civil Parties are currently scheduled to testify during this part of the trial in Case 002/02. The Chamber is also considering whether to hear experts on this topic.
According to the Closing Order, one of five policies implemented by the Communist Party of Kampuchea (CPK) to defend the socialist revolution was the targeting of specific groups using any means necessary. With respect to the Vietnamese, the Closing Order states that this policy came into existence before 1975 and continued to escalate throughout the Democratic Kampuchea regime until at least 6 January 1979. Initially, the CPK allegedly focused on expelling all Vietnamese people from Cambodian territory and sending them to Vietnam. This policy commenced as early as 1973 and was further applied in 1975 and 1976, according to the Closing Order. From April 1977, the CPK allegedly intended to advance the policy by destroying, in whole or in part, the Vietnamese group. In the provinces of Svay Rieng and Prey Veng, CPK cadre allegedly approached the arrest and killing of Vietnamese people in a methodical way, going from house to house or calling meetings to register ethnic Vietnamese people and using pre-prepared lists of Vietnamese when conducting arrests. The Closing Order alleges that Khieu Samphan and Nuon Chea through their various roles within the CPK bear individual criminal responsibility for the crimes committed against the Vietnamese group during this time.
Case 002/02 is the second trial against Khieu Samphan and Nuon Chea and includes charges of genocide against the Cham and Vietnamese, forced marriages and rape, internal purges, alleged crimes committed against Buddhists and former Khmer Republic officials, as well as crimes allegedly committed at four security centers, three worksites and one group of work cooperatives. As this third trial topic on the treatment of targeted groups continues, the Chamber to date has heard testimonies of 48 witnesses, 29 Civil Parties, and one expert over the course of 114 hearing days.