Forced Marriage Charges possibly adressed in Case 002/03


In their Decision on Severance of Case 002 following Surpreme Court Chamber Decision of 8 February 2013 issued on 26 April 2013, the Trial Chamber of the ECCC rules that forced marriage charges will not be included in the first sub-trial of Case 002/01 for the following reasons:

“Inclusion of offences concerning forced marriage and rape in addition confront particular issues, some of which stem from their manner of incorporation into the Case 002 Closing Order, which binds the Trial Chamber. Their inclusion also remains subject to the resolution of various legal challenges concerning the exact nature of the crimes alleged.” (Paragraph 160, p.69)

In the Tentative Plan for Future Trial of the Remaining Portions of Case 002 which is annexed to the decision, the Trial Chambers lists the charges of forced marriages under Case 002/03, the third and final sub-trial. However, in the decision the Chamber emphasizes that such “… a timetable for future trials could be based only on unknown contigencies, outside the control of the Trial Chamber, such as the continued fitness of the Accused to be tried and the continuity of donor support to the ECCC” (Paragraph 153, p. 65).

Downloead the full decision here.

CDP Releases New Publication on Self-Help Group for Forced Marriage Survivors


Published in April 2013

From June 2011 to June 2012, CDP set up and ran the first self-help group for forced marriage survivors under the guidance of psychologist Ms. Yim Sotheary. The publication “The Past and the Present of Forced Marriage Survivors – Experience Towards Healing”, authored by Ms. Yim, documents this intervention and its impact on the women who participated in the group.

Go to Publications and Materials to download the full publication.

OSJI Report Recommends Inclusion of GBV in Case 003 and 004


Published in March 2013

Open Society Justice Initiative (OSJI) publishes regular briefing papers examining progress, priorities, and challenges at the ECCC. In their recent issue under the title “Recent Developments at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia”, OSJI recommends to the Co-Investigating Judges to consider including gender-based violence committed during the Khmer Rouge period in the investigation and any proposed indictment in Cases 003 and 004.