Prosecutors at the UN-backed Cambodia tribunal on Monday requested the indictment of four ex-Khmer Rouge leaders on genocide and war crimes charges.

International prosecutors at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) formally requested the indictment of Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary, Khieu Samphan and Ieng Thirith on charges of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and violations of the 1956 Cambodian Penal Code.

In the nearly one thousand page document, the prosecution summarises the evidence collected during a two-year investigation and describe how it supports the allegations against the accused.

The prosecution alleges that the former Khmer Rouge leaders committed crimes through a joint criminal enterprise, which was aimed at igniting a political revolution in Cambodia and to destroy any opposition of the Communist Party of Kampuchea (CPK).

Through this joint criminal enterprise, the accused allegedly enslaved the Cambodian population and deprived them of their fundamental human rights and freedoms.

They also organised mass killings of potential enemies of the CPK.

The judges in Phnom Penh must now either dismiss the charges, or indict the accused persons and send the case to trial. They may also choose to indict the four on different charges. This decision may in turn be appealed by the prosecution.

However, if the judges fail to file a formal indictment by September 19th, Nuon Chea, or brother number two, must be released, due to the expiry of his three-year pre-trial detention limit.

(Source: ECCC)