Cambodia

Reassessing Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge Tribunal

On December 23, Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge Tribunal issued its final, written judgment in the case against Khieu Samphan, affirming his convictions for genocide, crimes against humanity, and other international crimes, as well as his life sentence. The judgment brought to a close the tribunal’s judicial proceedings and marked the improbable achievement of a measure of justice for the millions of victims of the Khmer Rouge regime. Unfortunately, a narrative has emerged among international human rights organizations and commentators that dismisses its achievements and focuses on its flaws.