100825 Witn Khmer Rouge
Content
BBC Learning English Words in the News 25th August 2010 Khmer Rouge jailer appeals sentence
A former Khmer Rouge prison chief found guilty of crimes against humanity has started appeal proceedings. Last month, Kaing Guek Eav was sentenced to 35 years in prison for his role in the torture and murder of thousands of people in Cambodia. Guy De Launey reports: Comrade Duch's appeal mirrors one announced by the prosecutors earlier this month. They said the sentence passed was too lenient as, with time already served, Duch could be free in at most 19 years. That's hard for many survivors of the Khmer Rouge era to swallow. Duch's appeal may add to their unease. He admitted overseeing the systematic torture and murder of thousands of people at the S-21 detention centre and even apologised to the victims' relatives in court. But the former prison chief now says he shouldn't have been on trial at all. The tribunal was set up to prosecute the surviving senior leaders of the Khmer Rouge and those most responsible for the worst atrocities. Duch claims he falls into neither category. The appeals may be heard as early as the end of November. Guy De Launey, BBC News, Phnom Penh
Words in the News bbclearningenglish.com
© British Broadcasting Corporation 2010 Page 1 of 2
Vocabulary and definitions comrade member of a communist political party
mirrors prosecutors
reflects or is similar to lawyers who try to prove in a trial that the person charged with a crime is guilty
sentence lenient time already served era
punishment after being found guilty of a crime not as strict as expected time already spent in prison a period of time or history which has particular characteristics that identify it e.g. the iPod era
systematic tribunal
detailed and carefully planned way of doing a task a special court dealing with particular problems e.g. a war crimes tribunal
atrocities
terrible, cruel and violent acts, often associated with wars
More on this story: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-11082502 Read and listen to the story and the vocabulary online:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/wordsinthenews/2010/08/100825_witn_khmer_rouge_page.shtml
Words in the News bbclearningenglish.com
© British Broadcasting Corporation 2010 Page 2 of 2
A former Khmer Rouge prison chief found guilty of crimes against humanity has started appeal proceedings. Last month, Kaing Guek Eav was sentenced to 35 years in prison for his role in the torture and murder of thousands of people in Cambodia. Guy De Launey reports: Comrade Duch's appeal mirrors one announced by the prosecutors earlier this month. They said the sentence passed was too lenient as, with time already served, Duch could be free in at most 19 years. That's hard for many survivors of the Khmer Rouge era to swallow. Duch's appeal may add to their unease. He admitted overseeing the systematic torture and murder of thousands of people at the S-21 detention centre and even apologised to the victims' relatives in court. But the former prison chief now says he shouldn't have been on trial at all. The tribunal was set up to prosecute the surviving senior leaders of the Khmer Rouge and those most responsible for the worst atrocities. Duch claims he falls into neither category. The appeals may be heard as early as the end of November. Guy De Launey, BBC News, Phnom Penh
Words in the News bbclearningenglish.com
© British Broadcasting Corporation 2010 Page 1 of 2
Vocabulary and definitions comrade member of a communist political party
mirrors prosecutors
reflects or is similar to lawyers who try to prove in a trial that the person charged with a crime is guilty
sentence lenient time already served era
punishment after being found guilty of a crime not as strict as expected time already spent in prison a period of time or history which has particular characteristics that identify it e.g. the iPod era
systematic tribunal
detailed and carefully planned way of doing a task a special court dealing with particular problems e.g. a war crimes tribunal
atrocities
terrible, cruel and violent acts, often associated with wars
More on this story: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-11082502 Read and listen to the story and the vocabulary online:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/wordsinthenews/2010/08/100825_witn_khmer_rouge_page.shtml
Words in the News bbclearningenglish.com
© British Broadcasting Corporation 2010 Page 2 of 2
