The investigation in Case 003 focuses on the crimes allegedly committed by Meas Muth, a former high-ranking member of the Revolutionary Army of Kampuchea (RAK) during the period from 17 April 1975 to 6 January 1979. Meas Muth was the Commander of Division 164, the largest division of the RAK that included the Navy, was a reserve member of the General Staff Committee, and was the Secretary of the Kampong Som Autonomous Sector. CJA represents 76 Civil Party applicants to the Case 003 proceedings.
The ECCC concluded its investigations in Case 003 on 10 January 2017. On November 28, 2018, the Co-Investigating Judges issued two separate Closing Orders in Case 003 against Meas Muth. The National Judge ruled to dismiss the charges against Meas Muth on the basis that he did not fall within the personal jurisdiction of the ECCC. The International Judge, however, found that the ECCC did have personal jurisdiction over Meas Muth, highlighting his high-level military role, and charged him with genocide of the Vietnamese, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and crimes under Cambodian law. More specifically, Meas Muth allegedly orchestrated numerous “purges” of RAK cadres, ordering thousands to be killed or tortured at S-21 Prison. He also targeted civilian groups considered to be enemies of the Khmer Rouge regime, including the Thai, Vietnamese, and those affiliated with the former Lon Nol government, among others. The International Judge further found that Meas Muth implemented the nationwide Khmer Rouge policies of enslaving the population at forced labor sites and of conducting forced marriages among both civilians and RAK members.
Although the International Judge decided to indict Meas Muth, he limited civil party admissibility to only those victims of crimes committed in the Kampong Som Autonomous Sector, ignoring the fact that these crimes were committed in furtherance of a joint criminal enterprise that spanned the entire country. On March 7, 2019, CJA filed an appeal to the International Judge’s admissibility decision, arguing for broader inclusion of civil parties in Case 003. The International Co-Prosecutor also filed an appeal against the National Judge’s decision to dismiss the charges against Meas Muth.
