The Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) announced Monday the beta launch of its new legacy website (www.eccc.gov.kh), which is dedicated to preserving the history of the Khmer Rouge trials and fostering awareness of the accountability process in Cambodia.
The ECCC said in a press release that the site is designed as a resource for researchers, educators, and the general public. It provides updated information on court proceedings, open access to the public archives, and a suite of interactive tools aimed at deepening understanding of the legal efforts addressing Khmer Rouge atrocities.
The source added that this new website, available in three languages—Khmer, English, and French—marks a historic milestone by enabling unprecedented access to judicial findings and the work of the ECCC.
Unprecedented Public Access to the Archive
For the first time, users can access the full range of public records related to the Khmer Rouge trials directly from the judicial database. Judicial and non-judicial documents are available in Khmer, English, and French, including over 1,350 judicial decisions and tens of thousands of evidentiary records comprising over a million pages. This digital archive complements the paper archive at the ECCC Resource Centre in Phnom Penh, offering transparency and ease of access for researchers, students, and the general public.
Interactive Tools to Empower Education and Engagement
To bridge the generational gap and overcome challenges in conveying complex information about the atrocities committed by the Khmer Rouge regime, the website features a series of interactive features and tools designed to engage and educate.
These include a comprehensive overview of the historical context in the form of a timeline which visualizes the rise, disastrous tenure, and fall of the Khmer Rouge regime, as well as the milestones of the ECCC’s establishment and its judicial operations between 2006 and 2022. For the very first time, a dynamic hierarchy casts light on the secretive Khmer Rouge leadership and command structure over time. Furthermore, an interactive crime site map details over 100 crimes and sites investigated by the ECCC, showing the nationwide extent of the ECCC’s investigations and findings.
Supporting Education across Cambodia
Along with the ECCC Mobile Resource Centre’s ongoing outreach activities, the website will be introduced to thousands of students in schools across Cambodia, fostering wider awareness and understanding of Cambodian history and the legacy of the trials, as well as the ECCC’s contributions to Cambodia and the world.
“This website is currently in its beta version, with further features to be progressively added, including a mobile-friendly version. The ECCC welcomes feedback from users by email at pas@eccc.gov.kh,” said the press release.