Language

Kingdom of Cambodia

Cambodia - Criminal Procedure Code 2007 EN

CAMBODIA – CRIMINAL PROCEDURE CODE

BOOK THREE THE INVESTIGATIONS

TITLE 2 - INVESTIGATION OF FLAGRANTE DELICTO CASES

CHAPTER 3 - Police Custody

Article 97. Record of Police Custody

Judicial police officers shall also inform the detainee about the rights provided in Article 98 (Assistance from a Lawyer during Police Custody) of this Code. If necessary, a judiciary police officer may call for an interpreter.

CAMBODIA – CRIMINAL PROCEDURE CODE

BOOK THREE THE INVESTIGATIONS

Title 3 - PRIMARY INVESTIGATIONS

Single Chapter - Primary Investigations

Article 115. Record of Interviews –Primary Investigations Each interview must have a record.

The record shall be accurately produced from the statement of the relevant person. If necessary, the judicial police officer may call for an interpreter who must swear in accordance with his/her religion or beliefs to interpret the responses accurately. The interpreter cannot be selected from among the police, the Royal Gendarmeries, or any person who is involved in the case.

CAMBODIA – CRIMINAL PROCEDURE CODE

BOOK 4 INVESTIGATIONS

TITLE 1 - Investigating Judge

CHAPTER 2 - INVESTIGATION BY AN INVESTIGATING JUDGE

SECTION 1 - Notification of placement under examination

Article 144. Assistance of Interpreter/Translator

When it is necessary, the investigating judge shall call on an interpreter. The interpreter shall swear according to his/her religion or beliefs that he/she shall help the court and interpret the answers accurately. In any case, the interpreter cannot be selected from among judges, court clerks, police, Royal Gendarmeries, parties or witnesses.

CAMBODIA – CRIMINAL PROCEDURE CODE

BOOK 4 INVESTIGATIONS

TITLE 1 - Investigating Judge

CHAPTER 2 - INVESTIGATION BY AN INVESTIGATING JUDGE

SECTION 2 - Interview of an accused person

Article 145. The Presence of Lawyer During Interview

When an accused person has a lawyer, the investigating judge shall invite the lawyer at least 5 (five) days before the interview takes place. During that period, the lawyer can examine the procedural case file.

An accused person can only be interviewed with the presence of his/her lawyer. However, if the lawyer was properly invited but does not show up on the set date and time, the investigating judge can interview the accused person without the presence of the lawyer. The absence of the lawyer shall be noted in writing in the minute of the accused person’s interview.

In special cases, the investigating judge can interview the accused person without summoning the lawyer if the accused person expressly waives the presence of his/her lawyer. This waiver shall be written in a separate report other than the report on the interview of the accused person and shall be signed by the accused person.

In the case of emergency, the investigating judge can also interview the accused person without the presence of the lawyer. This emergency situation shall be caused by the deadly injury or caused by the fear of losing evidence leads. The type of the emergency shall be written as notation in the report.

The investigating judge can call on an interpreter as provided in Article 144 (Assistance of Interpreter/Translator) of this Code.

CAMBODIA – CRIMINAL PROCEDURE CODE

BOOK 4 INVESTIGATIONS

TITLE 1 - Investigating Judge

CHAPTER 2 - INVESTIGATION BY AN INVESTIGATING JUDGE

Section 4 Interviewing of Witnesses

Article 155. Assistance of an Interpreter

The investigating judge can request for an interpreter to interview the witness as provided in Article 144 (Assistance of Interpreter/Translator) of this Code.

CAMBODIA – CRIMINAL PROCEDURE CODE

BOOK 5 JUDGMENTS

TITLE 1 - Judgment of Court of the First Instance

CHAPTER 3 - CONFRONTATIONS

SECTION 3 - Conduct of Confrontations

Article 330. Assistance and Oath of a Translator

If necessary, the chairman of hearing can seek a translator. The translator shall swear according to his/her belief or religion that he/she will assist the court and translate the answers honestly. In no circumstances, can the translator be chosen from amongst judges, court clerks, police, gendarmeries, parties or witnesses.

The provisions of Article 156 (Witness without Swearing) of this Code shall also be applied.

Rome Statute

Article 50 Official and working languages

1. The official languages of the Court shall be Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish. The judgements of the Court, as well as other decisions resolving fundamental issues before the Court, shall be published in the official languages. The Presidency shall, in accordance with the criteria established by the Rules of Procedure and Evidence, determine which decisions may be considered as resolving fundamental issues for the purposes of this paragraph.

2. The working languages of the Court shall be English and French. The Rules of Procedure and Evidence shall determine the cases in which other official languages may be used as working languages.

3. At the request of any party to a proceeding or a State allowed to intervene in a proceeding, the Court shall authorize a language other than English or French to be used by such a party or State, provided that the Court considers such authorization to be adequately justified.

Article 55 Rights of persons during an investigation

2. Where there are grounds to believe that a person has committed a crime within the jurisdiction of the Court and that person is about to be questioned either by the Prosecutor, or by national authorities pursuant to a request made under Part 9, that person shall also have the following rights of which he or she shall be informed prior to being questioned:

(c) To have legal assistance of the person's choosing, or, if the person does not have legal assistance, to have legal assistance assigned to him or her, in any case where the interests of justice so require, and without payment by the person in any such case if the person does not have sufficient means to pay for it; and

Article 87 Requests for cooperation: general provisions

2. Requests for cooperation and any documents supporting the request shall either be in or be accompanied by a translation into an official language of the requested State or one of the working languages of the Court, in accordance with the choice made by that State upon ratification, acceptance, approval or accession. Subsequent changes to this choice shall be made in accordance with the Rules of Procedure and Evidence.