Hu Nim

Alias : Phoas¹

HU Nim (1932-1977) was Minister of Information and Propaganda. He was detained at S-21 and subsequently executed.

Explore the Khmer Rouge hierarchy to understand his role in the secretive system.

Key Findings

The Trial Chamber in Case 002/02 found that Hu Nim:

Worked closely with Khieu Samphan at training sessions and received diplomats at the airport with him. ¹⁹
Spoke about the presence of enemies inside the country during mass rallies and political training sessions along with other senior CPK leaders. ²⁰
Publicly called for the elimination of high-ranking members of the Khmer Republic administration and others and their subordinates. ²¹

Disclaimer

Hu Nim was not a suspect, charged person, or accused in any proceedings before the ECCC. Therefore, the findings of the Extraordinary Chambers cannot be equated to findings of guilt against him.

Some information may be sourced from confessions which were obtained under torture. The reliability of such information should be treated with caution. See Decision on Evidence Obtained Through Torture.

Drag

1932

Born.²

1958

Elected to the National Assembly on an independent platform.³

1960

Appointed to the Sangkum Government along with Khieu Samphan and Hou Youn.⁴

1962

Elected to the National Assembly as a Sangkum member.⁵

1963

Early March 1963

Lost his position as Editor of the Sangkum’s official newspaper when Norodom Sihanouk dissolved the government and named him as one of the 34 leftists.⁶

1967

April

Publicly accused by Norodom Sihanouk of fomenting a peasant uprising in Samlaut village, Battambang province, and threatened with a court-martial.⁷

1969

Inducted into the CPK by Ta Mok.⁸

1970

5 May

Became Minister of Information and Propaganda of the Royal Government of the National Union of Kampuchea (“GRUNK”).⁹

1971

September

Attended the Third Party Congress, at which the CPK leaders declared that Vietnam was the long-term “acute enemy” of Democratic Kampuchea.¹⁰

1975

From 1975

Headed the Ministry of Propaganda and Information which oversaw the production of Revolutionary Flag and Revolutionary Youth magazines.¹¹

1976

3 February

Announced the election of the People’s Representative Assembly (“PRA”) to be held on 20 March 1976.¹²

20 March

Announced at the PRA’s press conference detailing the first PRA session and alleging the Lon Nol clique as a lackey of US imperialists.¹³

April

Appointed as Minister responsible for information and propaganda and was identified as Minister of Propaganda at the PRA.¹⁴

1977

March

Implicated in several S-21 forced confessions.¹⁵

10 April

Arrested and taken to S-21 after allegedly expressing disagreement with CPK policy.¹⁶

After 10 April

Tortured at S-21 and wrote a letter addressed to Pol Pot, Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary, Vorn Vet, Son Sen, and Khieu Samphan, expressing his respect and faithfulness to CPK and his fear that he may have been falsely implicated.¹⁷

6 July

Executed once his confession was obtained, in which he requested the CPK to be pardoned.¹⁸