Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia

Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia Chambres extraordinaires au sein des tribunaux cambodgiens
Emblem of the Khmer Rouge Tribunal
Established	1997
Country	Cambodia

The Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC), commonly known as the Cambodia Tribunal or Khmer Rouge Tribunal, is a court established to try the most senior responsible members of the Khmer Rouge for alleged violations of international law and serious crimes perpetrated during the Cambodian genocide. Although it is a national court, it was established as part of an agreement between the Royal Government of Cambodia and the United Nations, and its members include both local and foreign judges. It is considered a hybrid court; as the ECCC was created by the government in conjunction with the UN, but remains independent of them, with trials held in Cambodia using Cambodian and international staff. The Cambodian court invites international participation in order to apply international standards.

The remit of the Extraordinary Chambers extends to serious violations of Cambodian penal law, international humanitarian law and custom, and violation of international conventions recognized by Cambodia, committed during the period between 17 April 1975 and 6 January 1979. This includes crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide. The chief purpose of the tribunal as identified by the Extraordinary Chambers is to provide justice to the Cambodian people who were victims of the Khmer Rouge regime's policies between April 1975 and January 1979. However, rehabilitative victim support and media outreach for the purpose of national education are also outlined as primary goals of the commission.

The tribunal is known in Khmer as អង្គជំនុំជម្រះវិសាមញ្ញក្នុjងតុលាការកម្ពុជា angk chomnoumchomreah visaeamonhnh knong tolakar kampouchea; and in French as Chambres extraordinaires au sein des tribunaux cambodgiens (CETC). "Khmer Rouge Tribunal" is rendered in Khmer as សាលាក្ដីខ្មែរក្រហម, salakdei khmero kraham.

In 1997, Cambodia's two Co-Prime Ministers wrote a letter to the Secretary-General of the United Nations requesting assistance to set up trial proceedings against the senior leaders of the Khmer Rouge. After lengthy negotiations, an agreement between the Royal Government of Cambodia and the United Nations was reached and signed on 6 June 2003. The agreement was endorsed by the United Nations General Assembly.