Phnom Penh: A former staff member at the
main Khmer Rouge torture centre told Cambodia`s war crimes
court on Monday 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.
Bureau Report
