Case 002 Witnesses, experts and Civil Parties

Witnesses, experts and Civil Parties who have appeared in Case 002. Click on photo for larger version.

Mr. Vann Nath

Vann Nath, 63, was called as a witness to testify on the functioning of S-21.

 Mr. Nath was arrested on 30 December 1977 while working in rice fields in Northwestern Cambodia. He was accused of being a "traitor" and was first detained at the prison located in Kandal Pagoda before being brought to S-21. After one month he was transferred to the artist's workshop to work as a painter, where Duch asked him to prepare a portrait of Pol Pot. He survived until the Vietnamese army seized Phnom Penh. As a witness, Vann Nath testified on the "inhumane" detention conditions at S-21, and recounted the impossibility for him to forget what he had endured at S-21. In the course of his testimony, some of his paintings depicting torture techniques at S-21 were shown.

Mr. Nath told the Trial Chamber that he wanted to testify as a witness in order to ensure that younger generations "would avoid repeating such a historical event," and he "wanted justice for those that had already died."

Transcript of proceeding - "DUCH Trial" 29 June 2009
Mr. Chan Khan

Chan Khan was called as a witness to testify about M-13, a security office located in areas under Khmer Rouge control, which had been supervised by Kaing Guek Eav.  

In 1973, Chan Khan was recruited as a teenager to be a soldier, but he was instead sent to M-13 to work as a guard. He remained there until late 1973 or early 1974, when he was sent to work in the rice fields of Oudong with other warders and prisoners. As a witness, Chan Khan testified on detention conditions at M-13 with specific regard to medical care therein. He recalled that many detainees died because of a lack of health care and that they did not receive treatment for wounds from interrogations.

Over the course of his testimony, inconsistencies between the witness's testimony and the statements he had made before the Co-Investigating Judges were raised.

Transcript of hearing on the substance in Case 001 – 21 April 2009, Transcript of hearing on the substance in Case 001 – 20 April 2009
Mr. Chan Voeun

Chan Voeun, 56, was called as a witness to testify about M-13, a security office located in an area under Khmer Rouge control, which had been supervised by Kaing Guek Eav.

Mr. Voeun claims to have been a staff member of M-13 in his twenties, working in the economics unit from 1974 to 1975. Formerly assigned to find food for prisoners, he told the Trial Chamber that he was only present on M-13 premises once or twice a month. Because he allowed three detainees to escape while on guard duty, he recounted that he was arrested and imprisoned by Duch at M-13. He then escaped to his commune, was sent back to M-13 by his village chief, and subsequently set free b Duch. As a witness, Chan Voeun testified on the detention conditions, interrogation methods, and executions at M-13. He told the Trial Chamber that many villagers from Amleang sub-district, including his uncle and his aunt, were detained at M-13 and that he was hated by Amleang villagers for working with Duch. He testified that he personally witnessed Duch carrying out interrogations and torturing detainees. Duch also allegedly shot his uncle dead with an AK-rifle. The Accused contested the testimony from the witness and also denied that the witness had been a staff member of M-13. 

Over the course of his testimony, inconsistencies between the witness' testimony and the statements he had made before the Co-Investigating Judges were raised.

Transcript of hearing on the substance in Case 001 - 20 April 2009
Mr.UCH Sorn

Uch Sorn, 72, was called as a witness to testify about M-13, a security office located in an area under Khmer Rouge control, which had been supervised by Kaing Guek Eav.

In 1973, Mr. Sorn was accused of being a spy and detained at M-13 for one year, where he was forced to perform maintenance work including sweeping, gathering wood, and digging graves. In October or November 1974, he was liberated and sent to Pursat province, but only returned to his home village in 1979. As a witness, Uch Sorn testified on the detention conditions at M-13. He told the Trial Chamber that emotional and physical torture was inflicted upon the prisoners, including torture and starvation.

Uch told the Trial Chamber that the other detainees were ordinary people from his village and not high-ranking military officials and that guards were very young, between 15 and 20 years old.

Transcript of hearing on the substance in Case 002 - 09 April 2009

Pagination