A ‘Closing Order’ officially indicting Kaing Guek Eav (alias “Duch”) – made public on 12 August – means that the former director of the Security Prison S-21 (Tuol Sleng) will soon face trial.

Duch – a former mathematics teacher – will be the first of the accused before the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) to be tried for crimes committed during the Khmer Rouge’s reign of terror.

The accused, now 65-years-old, purportedly ran the notorious prison between 1975 and 1979, during which time more than 12,380 people were executed.

Following the indictment, which was signed by the judges on 8 August, it is expected that Duch’s trial will now begin in the coming months – possibly as soon as the end of September 2008.

Duch has been in custody since 1999 and will be the first of the five accused by the ECCC to stand trial.

Given the hybrid nature of the United Nations-backed court, the bench in the case will consist of three Cambodian judges, one French judge and one judge from New Zealand.

Press release (PDF)
Closing Order (Indictment against Duch), 8 August 2008 (PDF)