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In a well-written article by Stephanie Gee entitled, "Duch drops the mask at last. Talking of torture in S-21", that appeared on ka-set.info on June 18, 2009, Gee recaps testimony of defendant Kaing Geuk Eav, better known as Duch, former boss of Tuol Sleng S 21 Prison during the Pol Pot regime.
It's important to note here that many ka-set.info employees lost their jobs at Cambodge Soir newspaper two years ago this month before several former foreign and Khmer staff at the paper launched ka-set.info.
START
Until then, he had always proved to be in control of himself, his words, his gestures and his facial expressions. On Tuesday June 16th, as the court discussed the acts of torture perpetrated in S-21, cracks appeared in the schoolteacher’s shell.
A few sobs suppressed with difficulty and a turnaround, when Duch acknowledged the use, in his security center, of a torture method he had until then formally denied, even during the pre-trial investigation. The cold-blooded animal gave way to the man. Duch’s examination by the judges on the functioning of S-21 continued with intensity, accompanied by the regret that the proceedings were not filmed better…"
Four Forms of Basic Torture
Responding to a question of the court’s president, Duch explained he favored the “political method”, which consisted only in questions, over resorting immediately to torture.
He had authorized four forms of torture in S-21: beatings, electroshocks, pouring water into the detainees’ nostrils, and the technique of the plastic bag placed over the head.
He recalled that the interrogators were divided into four groups, each comprised of five or six people: the cold method one (without torture), the hot method one (with torture), the “chewing” one (endless interrogations until the expected confessions were made), and a special group whose mission was to interrogate important personalities, those who were of interest to the superior echelon.
After a preliminary interrogation, according to the prisoner’s degree of cooperation, he or she was subjected to increasingly tough sessions, passing from one group to another. After one female prisoner was sexually abused by an interrogator, Duch had decided to set up a team of female interrogators that was in charge of the female detainees.
If he proved lenient with the interrogator at fault, he later said he had then felt enormous anger, but controlled it not to become a suspect in the eyes of his superiors. Duch stated he had not participated to the prisoners’ interrogations. Yet, the annotation of a S-21 detainee’s confession indicated that Duch had been his first interrogator.
It was written by the very hand of the accused himself. The latter recognized his writing, but explained he had added his name because his superior wanted, for that interrogation, more than one interrogator to be mentioned – he had therefore added his name subsequently.
Indeed, only one interrogator worked at any time because there were not enough of them and it was difficult to train good ones, the accused explained later.
Duch Breaks Down
“Was torture systematically used during interrogations?”, judge Nil Nonn asked him. In most cases, it was, Duch answered, while quoting two exceptions he knew of: Koy Thuon, who was the Khmer Rouge Minister of Commerce, and another person whose name he struggled to say: the distinguished professor Phung Ton, whose widow and daughter were sitting in the courtroom, in the seats reserved for civil parties, and whom he was watching with attention.
Unsettled, he broke down. His voice choked, he sniffed, and tried, unsuccessfully, to roll back his tears. The president left him a minute to regain composure. For the first time, he appeared sincere. The mention of the name of their respective husband and dad distressed Mrs. Phung and her daughter, as much as Duch’s genuine collapse as well as his persistence, they explained later, to hide behind some lies. About to break down, they left the room.
Only the daughter later came back to her seat. Since the start of the trial, they have come to every single day of trial.
Duch: Trainer On Interrogation Techniques
The president resumed the examination. He mentioned the recovered notebooks of the S-21 interrogators that stated the instructions they received: “you must hit but with self-control,” “hit but don’t kill”… Duch recognized that corresponded to the training he gave them. Then, the president returned to another document, the long beating up of a female prisoner until she fainted and which he allegedly took part in.
He denied and added: “I do not believe such an event could have happened in S-21.” What about a fight he allegedly demanded between two individuals? Duch replied he could not remember any longer… Nil Nonn returned to this interrogator often quoted by Duch and “who enjoyed torturing.” “I was satisfied with his work. He tried to get in my good graces by introducing hot torture techniques…”
The accused then admitted he had protected those of his interrogators who were somewhat heavy-handed. If a prisoner died from the results of a torture session, he would mention it to his superiors but ask that no sanction be taken against those responsible. The effects of torture explained expertly
Then it was the turn of judge Lavergne. “What characterizes torture in your opinion?” “It is difficult for me to answer. I think it is a philosophical question…” The judge rephrased his question. “Isn’t its main characteristic to inflict extreme pain to a person who is under one’s control? Also, what forms can pain take?”
Duch paraphrased him, adding: “Force was used to inflict pain and insults were uttered to unsettle the victim psychologically so that he or she would give in and make confessions.” Duch no longer looked obliquely, staring at a remote point, as he usually did. His increased unease as well as his tiredness could be felt.
The judge drove him into a corner. “Did you imagine what these prisoners could feel? For instance, when water was poured into their nose?” The accused gave him a technical answer. “According to the experiences of the intelligence services, when the stomach gets filled with water, the prisoner throws up the water swallowed and sometimes faints.
When he or she recovers consciousness, the interrogation continues. That is how we used to do it. In S-21, we did that only once … but this tested technique of the old regime did not prove efficient when we wanted to use it…” “What can someone whose head was placed in a plastic bag feel?” “His or her nose and mouth are obstructed and he or she feels like they are suffocating, about to die…” No, Duch claimed, he did not attend sessions of suffocation and the torture was inflicted on very few detainees.
Please read what happened after the lunch break here
John Brown Photojournalist On LIGHTSTALKERS
My Mondo Library Photography
My Photoshelter Photography Archive Homepage
In a well-written article by Stephanie Gee entitled, "Duch drops the mask at last. Talking of torture in S-21", that appeared on ka-set.info on June 18, 2009, Gee recaps testimony of defendant Kaing Geuk Eav, better known as Duch, former boss of Tuol Sleng S 21 Prison during the Pol Pot regime.
It's important to note here that many ka-set.info employees lost their jobs at Cambodge Soir newspaper two years ago this month before several former foreign and Khmer staff at the paper launched ka-set.info.
START
Until then, he had always proved to be in control of himself, his words, his gestures and his facial expressions. On Tuesday June 16th, as the court discussed the acts of torture perpetrated in S-21, cracks appeared in the schoolteacher’s shell.
A few sobs suppressed with difficulty and a turnaround, when Duch acknowledged the use, in his security center, of a torture method he had until then formally denied, even during the pre-trial investigation. The cold-blooded animal gave way to the man. Duch’s examination by the judges on the functioning of S-21 continued with intensity, accompanied by the regret that the proceedings were not filmed better…"
Four Forms of Basic Torture
Responding to a question of the court’s president, Duch explained he favored the “political method”, which consisted only in questions, over resorting immediately to torture.
He had authorized four forms of torture in S-21: beatings, electroshocks, pouring water into the detainees’ nostrils, and the technique of the plastic bag placed over the head.
He recalled that the interrogators were divided into four groups, each comprised of five or six people: the cold method one (without torture), the hot method one (with torture), the “chewing” one (endless interrogations until the expected confessions were made), and a special group whose mission was to interrogate important personalities, those who were of interest to the superior echelon.
After a preliminary interrogation, according to the prisoner’s degree of cooperation, he or she was subjected to increasingly tough sessions, passing from one group to another. After one female prisoner was sexually abused by an interrogator, Duch had decided to set up a team of female interrogators that was in charge of the female detainees.
If he proved lenient with the interrogator at fault, he later said he had then felt enormous anger, but controlled it not to become a suspect in the eyes of his superiors. Duch stated he had not participated to the prisoners’ interrogations. Yet, the annotation of a S-21 detainee’s confession indicated that Duch had been his first interrogator.
It was written by the very hand of the accused himself. The latter recognized his writing, but explained he had added his name because his superior wanted, for that interrogation, more than one interrogator to be mentioned – he had therefore added his name subsequently.
Indeed, only one interrogator worked at any time because there were not enough of them and it was difficult to train good ones, the accused explained later.
Duch Breaks Down
“Was torture systematically used during interrogations?”, judge Nil Nonn asked him. In most cases, it was, Duch answered, while quoting two exceptions he knew of: Koy Thuon, who was the Khmer Rouge Minister of Commerce, and another person whose name he struggled to say: the distinguished professor Phung Ton, whose widow and daughter were sitting in the courtroom, in the seats reserved for civil parties, and whom he was watching with attention.
Unsettled, he broke down. His voice choked, he sniffed, and tried, unsuccessfully, to roll back his tears. The president left him a minute to regain composure. For the first time, he appeared sincere. The mention of the name of their respective husband and dad distressed Mrs. Phung and her daughter, as much as Duch’s genuine collapse as well as his persistence, they explained later, to hide behind some lies. About to break down, they left the room.
Only the daughter later came back to her seat. Since the start of the trial, they have come to every single day of trial.
Duch: Trainer On Interrogation Techniques
The president resumed the examination. He mentioned the recovered notebooks of the S-21 interrogators that stated the instructions they received: “you must hit but with self-control,” “hit but don’t kill”… Duch recognized that corresponded to the training he gave them. Then, the president returned to another document, the long beating up of a female prisoner until she fainted and which he allegedly took part in.
He denied and added: “I do not believe such an event could have happened in S-21.” What about a fight he allegedly demanded between two individuals? Duch replied he could not remember any longer… Nil Nonn returned to this interrogator often quoted by Duch and “who enjoyed torturing.” “I was satisfied with his work. He tried to get in my good graces by introducing hot torture techniques…”
The accused then admitted he had protected those of his interrogators who were somewhat heavy-handed. If a prisoner died from the results of a torture session, he would mention it to his superiors but ask that no sanction be taken against those responsible. The effects of torture explained expertly
Then it was the turn of judge Lavergne. “What characterizes torture in your opinion?” “It is difficult for me to answer. I think it is a philosophical question…” The judge rephrased his question. “Isn’t its main characteristic to inflict extreme pain to a person who is under one’s control? Also, what forms can pain take?”
Duch paraphrased him, adding: “Force was used to inflict pain and insults were uttered to unsettle the victim psychologically so that he or she would give in and make confessions.” Duch no longer looked obliquely, staring at a remote point, as he usually did. His increased unease as well as his tiredness could be felt.
The judge drove him into a corner. “Did you imagine what these prisoners could feel? For instance, when water was poured into their nose?” The accused gave him a technical answer. “According to the experiences of the intelligence services, when the stomach gets filled with water, the prisoner throws up the water swallowed and sometimes faints.
When he or she recovers consciousness, the interrogation continues. That is how we used to do it. In S-21, we did that only once … but this tested technique of the old regime did not prove efficient when we wanted to use it…” “What can someone whose head was placed in a plastic bag feel?” “His or her nose and mouth are obstructed and he or she feels like they are suffocating, about to die…” No, Duch claimed, he did not attend sessions of suffocation and the torture was inflicted on very few detainees.
Please read what happened after the lunch break here
John Brown Photojournalist On LIGHTSTALKERS
My Mondo Library Photography
My Photoshelter Photography Archive Homepage
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