ABSTRACT
This chapter seeks to build on the theoretical analyses of the 'imagined' and 'actual' victim dichotomy by investigating the ways in which justice for victims has been 'produced, perceived and interpreted' by those actively engaged in the work of the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC). In the context of the ECCC, the large volume of victims, the evolving nature of its legal framework, and the multitude of legal traditions represented by its practitioners, all potentially exemplify the impact of such attitudes and behaviour. The architects and supporters of international criminal law (ICL) have long been engaging in 'legitimation work', by which is meant the rituals and claims used to justify the activities and purposes of an industry. The Khmer Rouge's victims were classed as symbols of personal suffering and as part of a broader community of victims who had suffered as a result of conflict around the world.
