Taiwan News
Agence France-Presse
2009-07-28
A former staff member at the main Khmer Rouge torture center told Cambodia's war crimes court yesterday that up to 200 children were detained and killed at the regime's notorious prison.
Sous Thy, 58, was testifying at the UN-backed court against prison chief Duch, who is accused of overseeing the torture and execution of around 15,000 people held at Tuol Sleng prison, known as S-21, in the late 1970s.
The witness, who was assigned to register incoming prisoners, told the court up 200 children were separated from their parents who were jailed at Tuol Sleng, but details of the young inmates were not recorded.
"I did not register their names in the list and their photographs were not taken either... The children would be separated, and once the children entered the prison they would not survive. All of them would be killed," Sous Thy said.
"For the (number of) children, according to my observation though I am not certain, it could have been more than 100 - up to 200 at the most," he added.
He told the court he was asked to "be alert 24 hours" to register incoming prisoners, who were handcuffed and blindfolded, and was also ordered to list outgoing prisoners as they were taken from Tuol Sleng to be executed.
"Only Duch had the authority to (order) anyone to be smashed," Sous Thy said.
He added that a senior cadre warned him if he made a mistake identifying a prisoner to be killed, he would be accused of being a traitor.
The 66-year-old Duch, whose real name is Kaing Guek Eav, has accepted responsibility for his role governing the jail and begged forgiveness for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
But the defendant has consistently rejected claims by prosecutors that he held a central leadership role in the Khmer Rouge, and says he never personally killed anyone.
2009-07-28
A former staff member at the main Khmer Rouge torture center told Cambodia's war crimes court yesterday that up to 200 children were detained and killed at the regime's notorious prison.
Sous Thy, 58, was testifying at the UN-backed court against prison chief Duch, who is accused of overseeing the torture and execution of around 15,000 people held at Tuol Sleng prison, known as S-21, in the late 1970s.
The witness, who was assigned to register incoming prisoners, told the court up 200 children were separated from their parents who were jailed at Tuol Sleng, but details of the young inmates were not recorded.
"I did not register their names in the list and their photographs were not taken either... The children would be separated, and once the children entered the prison they would not survive. All of them would be killed," Sous Thy said.
"For the (number of) children, according to my observation though I am not certain, it could have been more than 100 - up to 200 at the most," he added.
He told the court he was asked to "be alert 24 hours" to register incoming prisoners, who were handcuffed and blindfolded, and was also ordered to list outgoing prisoners as they were taken from Tuol Sleng to be executed.
"Only Duch had the authority to (order) anyone to be smashed," Sous Thy said.
He added that a senior cadre warned him if he made a mistake identifying a prisoner to be killed, he would be accused of being a traitor.
The 66-year-old Duch, whose real name is Kaing Guek Eav, has accepted responsibility for his role governing the jail and begged forgiveness for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
But the defendant has consistently rejected claims by prosecutors that he held a central leadership role in the Khmer Rouge, and says he never personally killed anyone.
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