Trial for 2 Khmer Rouge leaders resumes

The United Nations war crime tribunal in Cambodia resumed hearings against two former leaders of the Democratic Kampuchea, or Khmer Rouge regime, on Thursday after an adjournment since November due to the boycott of lawyers for one of the defendants.

"All parties are present," the tribunal's president Nil Nonn said.

Khieu Samphan, 84, the regime's former head of state, appeared in the courtroom during the hearing as Nuon Chea, 89, the chief ideologue of the Communist Party of Kampuchea, followed the proceedings by watching a video link from a holding cell due to his poor health.

The tribunal began the second and final trial for Khieu Samphan and Nuon Chea for genocide charges in October, but had been subsequently adjourned due to the boycott of defense teams.

Defense lawyers for Khieu Samphan said their boycott of the trial was to prepare for his appeal against a guilty verdict in the first part of the trial.

The two former Khmer Rouge leaders were among the few surviving leaders of the regime that was responsible for the deaths of an estimated 1.7 million people from starvation, overwork, torture, execution, and massacre from 1975 to 1979.

In August last year, the two ex-leaders were given life sentences for crimes against humanity after their first trial at the tribunal. They have appealed against the guilty verdicts. Endi