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Marburg “Trial Monitor” once again observes war crimes trial in Cambodia

Since April 15, 2013, a student of Peace and Conflict Studies has been working as a trial monitor at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) in Phnom Penh. For approximately six months, she, together with other international and Cambodian monitors, will observe Case 002, document proceedings, and ensure compliance with international procedural standards. After the conviction of Kaing Guek Eav, alias “Duch,” in Case 001, four former senior Khmer Rouge officials were charged. Two of the defendants have since withdrawn due to illness or death, leaving Nuon Chea and Khieu Samphan on trial, who face charges including crimes against humanity.

Anne Lang was prepared for this assignment at the Marburg International Research and Documentation Centre on War Crimes Trials (ICWC) through the Trial Monitoring Program. This program, aimed at students from all disciplines—especially Law and Peace and Conflict Studies—specifically trains participants to become trial monitors. The university-level training for trial monitors is unique worldwide. Conceived in fall 2010 by Marburg law students Florian Hansen and Sacha Hörmann, Marburg monitors were first deployed in the so-called genocide trial against the Rwandan Onesphore R. at the Higher Regional Court in Frankfurt. Further assignments followed in the criminal proceedings against the Frankfurt “airport attacker” Arid U., in other terrorism trials, and in numerous proceedings at the Regional Court of Marburg.

Under the academic supervision of Marburg criminal law professor Dr. Christoph Safferling, and with support from Florian Hansen, students acquire the necessary knowledge and skills for international deployment through various trainings, workshops, and specially tailored lectures in international and national criminal and procedural law. The program concludes with the awarding of the Marburg Trial Monitoring Certificate.

The monitoring program in Cambodia is led by the Asian International Justice Initiative, with which the Marburg Centre has long cooperated. Thanks to financial support from the Federal Ministry of Justice, it is again possible to send Marburg graduates of this specialized training to Cambodia. The next “Marburg monitor” is expected to follow in August.