[JURIST] International judges appointed to the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) [official website] said Monday that the Khmer Rouge [JURIST news archive] genocide trials can move forward after the Cambodian Bar Association (BAKC) agreed to dramatically reduce the fees [JURIST report] it proposed to levy on foreign lawyers involved in the trials. The UN-nominated judges [JURIST report] boycotted a procedural session of the court last week to protest the BAKC's original proposed $4,900 fee for foreign lawyers. The registration fees have now been reduced to $500.

Cambodia's 1975-79 Khmer Rouge [MIPT backgrounder] regime was responsible for the deaths of over 1.7 million people from genocide, disease and malnutrition. The international judges are expected to approve the final rules for the tribunal at the end of May, which will then enable prosecutors to begin filing cases against lead defendants. Reuters has more.