Two senior Khmer Rouge leaders have been given life imprisonment by Cambodia's United Nations backed tribunal of crimes against humanity.
Judge Ni Nonn said that the two leaders were guilty of political persecution, encompassing murder and other attacks against human dignity including forced transfer and disappearances, reports the BBC.
Nuon Chea and Khieu Samphan were the first senior level leaders who have been held guilty for crimes.
Chea, 88 was the leader of Pol Pot's deputy and Samphan, 83 served as the Maoist regime's head of state.
The leaders' lawyers said that their clients were innocent and that they would appeal against the ruling.
At least two million people are believed to have died of overwork, starvation or executed as enemies of the state under 1975-79 Khmer Rouge regime.
