Duch Rejects Witness’s Testimony, Torture Record
Former Tuol Sleng prison Chief Kaing Guek Eav, alias Duch, in a hearing on 27 July rejected a witness who claimed to have worked as Tuol Sleng prison guard, Kok Sros, 59.
Kok Sros claimed that he was really a staff at S-21 security center or Toul Sleng prison from 1975 to 7 January 1979 by order of Duch. Duch also rejected a brutal torture instruction record included into a book written by David Chandler.
Tuol Sleng ex-guard, interrogator testifies
Tuol Sleng ex-guard and integrator Prak Khan testified before Cambodia’s war crimes court for trial against former Tuol Sleng prison chief Kaing Guek Eav, best known as Duch on 21 July 2009.
Prak Khan said Duch taught him and other interrogators the Communist Party of Kampuchea (CPK) policy relating to interrogation method and torture technique.
Prak Khan said Duch taught interrogators to extract confession from prisoners allegedly linked to CIA or KGB and Vietnamese spies. The interrogation was to find prisoners’ network. Duch was also instructed interrogators to force prisoners to drink their urine and eat excrement and forced the prisoners to confess.
KR tribunal appoints Japanese woman as UN side’s spokesperson
A Japanese woman, a former journalist in Cambodia, was appointed as Public Affairs Officer for the Khmer Rouge tribunal to ensure the flow of information to the public and to media effectively.
The appointment of Yuko Maeda, former Public Information Officer in the UN Mission in Liberia, as Public Affairs Officer to the Khmer Rouge tribunal was welcomed by Japan, the biggest donor to the hybrid court, on 21 July 2009.
Reach Sambath, Public Affairs Chief at the Khmer Rouge tribunal, said Yuko Maeda would take her office, replacing Peter Foster. She would begin her job on Monday next week.
Him Huy failed to kill prisoners personally, says Duch
Former Tuol Sleng prison chief Kaing Guek Eav, best known as Duch, on 20 July 2009 told Cambodia’s war crimes court that Him Huy failed to kill prisoners personally, just being tasked with bringing prisoners into and out of Tuol Sleng.
“Him Huy was a platoon cadre in charge of bringing prisoners into Tuol Sleng detention camp and sending prisoners to be killed at Chhoeung Ek,” Duch said.
No order was given to Him Huy to kill prisoners personally, Duch maintained. Killing prisoners was a task of Him Huy’s subordinates. “Him Huy followed my order toward crimes at Tuol Sleng.”
K Rouge tribunal summons 35 witnesses, victims
Cambodia’s war crimes court issued a new schedule to hold the next seven-day hearing, calling upon 13 witnesses and 22 civil parties to testify the case of former Tuol Sleng prison chief Kaing Guek Eav, best known as Duch.
Judge Nil Nonn, trial chamber president at the Khmer Rouge tribunal, determined that a total of 35 witnesses and victims would appear before court subsequently from 13 July to 26 August 2009.
The schedule reads that next week, the court hears witnesses about the facts of M-13 prison establishment, armed conflicts, and functioning of S-21 security center including Choeung Ek killing fields.
PM Hun Sen believes infants survive Toul Sleng prison
Prime Minister Hun Sen on 7 July 2009 noticed that infants really survived Tuol Sleng prison after the fall of Khmer Rouge on 7 January 1979.
Hun Sen said then Vietnamese soldiers liberated him (infant), adding Keo Montha, post-liberation era’s Phnom Penh Governor and Culture and Industry Minister, asked the infant from the Vietnamese. This shows that the infant has survived until now.