British barrister Wayne Jordash will take the reins as the international defence lawyer for Khmer Rouge tribunal defendant Im Chaem, after the untimely death of her former lawyer, John Jones, in April.

Jordash will join with Chaem’s Cambodian lawyer, Bit Seanglim, to defend her in Case 004/01 against charges of crimes against humanity committed under the Khmer Rouge.

Chaem, allegedly the secretary of Preah Netr Preah district in the Northwest Zone during the regime, stands accused of murder, extermination, enslavement, imprisonment, persecution on political grounds and other inhumane acts allegedly committed at the Phnom Trayoung security centre and the Spean Sreng worksite.

Her case was severed in February this year from fellow Case 004 defendants Ao An and Yim Tith. Prime Minister Hun Sen has previously said if Case 004 and Case 003 – against alleged naval commander Meas Muth – went to trial, civil war could ensue.

Jordash previously worked at the tribunal as a legal consultant for the Defence Support Section in 2008 and 2009. He has also represented defendants at the International Criminal Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda, as well as the Special Court for Sierra Leone.

Meanwhile, the European Union announced late last week that it has granted more than $800,000 to civil society groups, the Bophana Centre, Documentation Center of Cambodia and Meta House to promote education and awareness of Khmer Rouge history.