Lawyers at the UN-backed court said officials, including translators and interpreters, were right to walk out of the court in Phnom Penh last week. They have refused to return until they receive salaries that have gone unpaid by the cash-strapped court for the past three months, reports the Bangkok Post.
War Crimes
The lawyers said the striking staff had their ‘strong support’ despite fears that justice may never be served to the elderly defendants. The oldest of the three, 87-year-old Ieng Sary, is in hospital after falling ill on the same day of the walkout with stomach problems – the latest in a string of illnesses suffered by the former foreign minister.
According to the report some 270 Cambodian employees at the court, including drivers, prosecutors and judges, have not been paid since November.
The court – which has also suffered from a host of high-profile resignations – needs to find $7m to cover its costs for 2013.
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