Cambodia Condemns Thai Military Attack on Preah Vihear Temple | Cambodia Confirms Troops Still Holding Mount Trop as Thailand Cannot Raise Flag on Sovereign Territory | Cambodia and Thailand Clashes Enter Third Day as Casualties Rise to 33 | UN Security Council Urges Restraint as Thailand-Cambodia Clashes Intensify | Cambodia Condemns Thai Aggression at UN, Calls for Ceasefire and International Intervention | Techo Hun Sen Advises Military Strategy Amidst Border Clashes with Thailand | 45 Staff Rescued After Being Trapped at Preah Vihear Temple Amidst Clashes | BREAKING: Cambodia Denies Firing Projectiles into Laos, Accuses Thailand of Disinformation | Cambodia's Tourism Ministry Seeks Aid for Troops, Refugees; Reaffirms Commitment to Peace | BREAKING: Laos Denies Border Clash with Cambodia; Cambodia Rejects Thai Accusations of Shelling Laos | BREAKING NEWS: Andrew MacGregor Marshall Claims Queen Mother Sirikit Has Died, Alleging Concealment by Thai Authorities | BREAKING NEWS: Cambodia and Thailand Agree to Malaysian Mediation Amid Escalating Border Clashes | Ministry of Education Announces Postponement of 2025 Baccalaureate Examination | Cambodian Community in Korea Holds Mass Protest Against Thailand’s Invasion | Techo Hun Sen: “In Times of National Crisis, We Have No Right to Rest or Fall Ill” | UN Secretary-General and Cambodian Officials Call for Immediate Ceasefire Amid Border Clashes | Lieutenant General Duong Samnieng Dies Fighting Thai Invaders at Preah Vihear | BREAKING NEWS: Prime Minister Hun Manet to Lead Cambodian Delegation to Kuala Lumpur for Special Meeting on Ceasefire | Secretary Rubio Calls for Immediate De-escalation in Cambodia-Thailand Border Dispute | TOP NEWS: Cambodia and Thailand Agree to Ceasefire After Malaysia-Mediated Talks | ASEAN Issues Statement Supporting Ceasefire and Peaceful Resolution in Cambodia-Thailand Border Dispute | BREAKING: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio Welcomes Cambodia-Thailand Ceasefire Declaration | TOP NEWS: President Trump Announces Ceasefire and Peace Agreements with Thailand and Cambodia | Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet Reports Successful Ceasefire Negotiation with Thailand, Thanks U.S. Support | Techo Hun Sen Commends Trump Initiative That Saved Thousands of Lives During Cambodia-Thailand Conflict | Cambodia and Thailand Engage in High-Level Military Meetings Amid Ceasefire Implementation | All My Feelings at This Time Are Connected to Some Major Tasks: Prime Minister Hun Manet Shares Personal Reflection on Social Media | Techo Hun Sen Praises Cambodian and Thai Armies for Respecting Ceasefire and Urges Continued Efforts for Peace | UN Geneva Welcomes Cambodia-Thailand Ceasefire in Social Media Message |
Cambodia Condemns Thai Military Attack on Preah Vihear Temple | Cambodia Confirms Troops Still Holding Mount Trop as Thailand Cannot Raise Flag on Sovereign Territory | Cambodia and Thailand Clashes Enter Third Day as Casualties Rise to 33 | UN Security Council Urges Restraint as Thailand-Cambodia Clashes Intensify | Cambodia Condemns Thai Aggression at UN, Calls for Ceasefire and International Intervention | Techo Hun Sen Advises Military Strategy Amidst Border Clashes with Thailand | 45 Staff Rescued After Being Trapped at Preah Vihear Temple Amidst Clashes | BREAKING: Cambodia Denies Firing Projectiles into Laos, Accuses Thailand of Disinformation | Cambodia's Tourism Ministry Seeks Aid for Troops, Refugees; Reaffirms Commitment to Peace | BREAKING: Laos Denies Border Clash with Cambodia; Cambodia Rejects Thai Accusations of Shelling Laos | BREAKING NEWS: Andrew MacGregor Marshall Claims Queen Mother Sirikit Has Died, Alleging Concealment by Thai Authorities | BREAKING NEWS: Cambodia and Thailand Agree to Malaysian Mediation Amid Escalating Border Clashes | Ministry of Education Announces Postponement of 2025 Baccalaureate Examination | Cambodian Community in Korea Holds Mass Protest Against Thailand’s Invasion | Techo Hun Sen: “In Times of National Crisis, We Have No Right to Rest or Fall Ill” | UN Secretary-General and Cambodian Officials Call for Immediate Ceasefire Amid Border Clashes | Lieutenant General Duong Samnieng Dies Fighting Thai Invaders at Preah Vihear | BREAKING NEWS: Prime Minister Hun Manet to Lead Cambodian Delegation to Kuala Lumpur for Special Meeting on Ceasefire | Secretary Rubio Calls for Immediate De-escalation in Cambodia-Thailand Border Dispute | TOP NEWS: Cambodia and Thailand Agree to Ceasefire After Malaysia-Mediated Talks | ASEAN Issues Statement Supporting Ceasefire and Peaceful Resolution in Cambodia-Thailand Border Dispute | BREAKING: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio Welcomes Cambodia-Thailand Ceasefire Declaration | TOP NEWS: President Trump Announces Ceasefire and Peace Agreements with Thailand and Cambodia | Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet Reports Successful Ceasefire Negotiation with Thailand, Thanks U.S. Support | Techo Hun Sen Commends Trump Initiative That Saved Thousands of Lives During Cambodia-Thailand Conflict | Cambodia and Thailand Engage in High-Level Military Meetings Amid Ceasefire Implementation | All My Feelings at This Time Are Connected to Some Major Tasks: Prime Minister Hun Manet Shares Personal Reflection on Social Media | Techo Hun Sen Praises Cambodian and Thai Armies for Respecting Ceasefire and Urges Continued Efforts for Peace | UN Geneva Welcomes Cambodia-Thailand Ceasefire in Social Media Message |

Samphan’s Appeal Against Life Sentence Wraps Up

Phnom Penh: Pol Pot’s last surviving henchman now has over a year to wait to learn if his appeal against his life sentence has been successful. Khieu Samphan’s four-day hearing came to an end on Thursday afternoon in the Supreme Court Chamber of the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia. The 90-year-old is serving a life term for genocide and crimes against humanity.

Khieu Samphan has strongly denied all allegations against him. The accusations which saw him sentenced to life in prison. Facing international prosecutors on Thursday, Samphan says he was only ever protecting the Cambodian people - protecting them against an invading army. He’s referring to the Vietnamese of whom he was accused of committing genocide. He claims he knew nothing about Pol Pot's crimes. He says even to this day, he has no idea where genocide or any crimes against humanity were actually committed.

"I declare that I cannot accept the accusation - that I was involved in a plot to commit crimes against my compatriots including the Cham or the Vietnamese. Many years after sitting as the defendant, at the end of this long case, it is important for me to inform you, especially the Cambodian people, that I have never wanted to commit crimes against my compatriots or against anyone else. No matter what you decide, I will die always remembering the suffering of my Cambodian people. I will die seeing that I am alone in front of you. I am charged symbolically, rather than for my actual deeds."

Samphan has highlighted that he only ever wanted the Kingdom of Cambodia to have independence and sovereignty where his compatriots could live together in harmony. The national and international prosecutors have said Samphan played a big role in decision-making, with him being head of state during the Khmer Rouge.

 According to court spokesperson, Neth Pheaktra, it could be late next year before the court hands down its ruling, although National Co-prosecutor Chea Leang says that they do not have a specific date, and while Samphan’s age has to be considered, the matter must go through due process.

Khieu Samphan says that as he is living his life in prison anyway, he cannot help but cry out loudly that the border problem between Cambodia and Vietnam still exists today. He insists that he has committed no crime, but it’ll be up to the judges to examine all the grounds of Samphan's appeal and whether he’ll end up dying in prison.



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