Judge Siegfried Blunk had come under fire from rights groups for failing to fully investigate new suspects for the court, which is seeking justice for 1.7 million people who died of starvation, exhaustion, lack of medical care or torture during the communist Khmer Rouge’s 1970s rule.
Last week, Human Rights Watch called for Blunk to resign for failing to conduct genuine and impartial investigations into suspects beyond one convicted last year and four others set for trial.
Blunk’s resignation over the weekend was announced Monday. He defended his record, blaming government pressure for the lack of new cases. He cited Cambodia’s information minister as saying in May that if investigating judges wanted to probe new cases, “they should pack their bags and leave.”
Prime Minister Hun Sen has also openly opposed expanding the trials with additional indictments of former Khmer Rouge figures, some of whom have become his political allies.
Blunk said such statements “will be perceived as attempted interference by government officials.” He said he could not be influenced by such opposition, but his “ability to withstand such pressure by government officials and to perform his duties independently could always be called in doubt.”
Along with Blunk, Human Rights Watch also called last week on a second judge responsible for indictments on the court — You Bunleng of Cambodia — to step down. The group said justice could not be obtained as long as the two judges held their jobs.
Controversy over the judge’s actions began in April, when they issued a “closing order” halting further investigation into suspects cited in documents known as Case 003. The closing order ignited criticism from several of the tribunal’s UN-appointed legal staff, who complained in a private letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon that the move represented a failure of justice.
The tribunal, which has faced lengthy delays throughout its history, reached its first verdict last year, sentencing former prison chief Kaing Guek Eav to 35 years in prison for war crimes, crimes against humanity and other offenses.
Still facing trial are Khieu Samphan, the former Khmer Rouge head of state; Nuon Chea, who was Pol Pot’s No. 2 and the group’s chief ideologist; Ieng Sary, the former foreign minister, and his wife, Ieng Thirith, who was minister for social affairs. All are in their 70s or 80s.
The charges against them include crimes against humanity, war crimes, genocide, religious persecution, homicide and torture.
Last month, the tribunal announced it will hold the trials of the four former leaders in segments according to separate charges in order to expedite the proceedings. It said their first trial would consider charges involving the forced movement of people and crimes against humanity and that later trials would focus on other charges including genocide.
