Duch

Related Case(s) : 001, 002

Alias : Duch¹

KAING Guek Eav, alias “Duch” (1942-2020), was the Chairman and Secretary of S-21 Security Centre in Phnom Penh, a facility for the unlawful detention, interrogation, and execution of perceived enemies of the Communist Party of Kampuchea (“CPK”). He was sentenced to life imprisonment for his participation in crimes against humanity and grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions committed at S-21 Security Centre.

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

Drag

1942

17 November

Born in Poev Veuy village, Peam Bang commune, Stoeung district, Kampong Thom province, into a family of poor peasants.²

1965

Worked as a mathematics teacher in Skuon, Kampong Cham.³

1967

25 December

Introduced to the CPK.⁴

1968

5 January

Arrested and subsequently sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment for breach of state security.⁵

May

Transferred to the Prey Sar army prison following his detention in Toul Kork in Phnom Penh.⁶

1969

20 July

Became a full-rights CPK member and chose “Duch” as his revolutionary name.⁷

1970

3 April

Released from prison and recommenced activities on behalf of CPK.⁸

1971

20 July

Appointed chairman of M-13 Security Centre, a facility used for interrogating suspected spies and enemies of the CPK.⁹

1975

15 August

Met with Son Sen and In Lorn (alias “Nat”) to plan the establishment of S-21.¹⁰

October

Became supervisor of interrogation unit at S-21.¹¹

1976

March

Appointed Chairman of S-21¹²

April

Moved S-21 detainees to the Pohnea Yat Lycée high school in Phnom Penh, which is now the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum.¹³

1979

6 January

S-21 ceased operations.¹⁴

7 January

Fled S-21.¹⁵

1996

6 January

Baptised by western missionaries and converted to Protestant Christianity.¹⁶

1999

10 May

Arrested, detained, and indicted by the Phnom Penh Military Court.¹⁷

2007

18 July

Named as a suspect in Co-Prosecutors’ Introductory Submission.¹⁸

30 July

Detained and transferred to the ECCC Detention Centre.¹⁹

2010

26 July

Convicted by the Trial Chamber and sentenced to 35 years in prison; the sentence was reduced by five years to remedy his illegal detention by the Cambodian Military Court.²⁰

2012

3 February

Re-sentenced to life imprisonment by Supreme Court Chamber.²¹

2013

6 June

Transferred to Kandal Provincial Correctional Centre.²²

2020

2 September

Died in Phnom Penh while serving a life sentence.²³

Convictions and Sentences

Convicted of crimes against humanity:

Persecution on political grounds
Extermination (encompassing murder)
Enslavement
Imprisonment
Torture (including one instance of rape)
Other inhumane acts

Convicted of grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions of 1949:

Wilful killing
Torture and inhumane treatment
Wilfully causing great suffering or serious injury to body or health
Wilfully depriving a prisoner of war or civilian of the rights of fair regular trial
Unlawful confinement of a civilian

Sentenced to 35 years’ imprisonment by the Trial Chamber. The sentence was reduced to 30 years to remedy his illegal detention by the Cambodian Military Court. ²⁴

Re-sentenced to life imprisonment by the Supreme Court Chamber. ²⁵

Key Findings

Roles and Responsibilities

The Trial Chamber in Case 001 found that Duch:

Helped establish S-21 and designed its functioning from its inception. ²⁶
Exercised authority over members of the S-21 interrogation unit, and later its entire staff. ²⁷

Acts and Awareness of crimes

The Trial Chamber in Case 001 found that Duch:

Participated in a systemic joint criminal enterprise (a common concerted system of ill-treatment) at S-21. ²⁸
Refined and directed S-21’s operations: the unlawful detention, interrogation, and execution of perceived enemies of the CPK ²⁹ .
Made S-21 an efficient operation by relocating it and selecting Cheoung Ek as an execution site ³⁰ .
Indoctrinated S-21 staff to be cruel and to treat all prisoners as enemies of the CPK ³¹ .
Trained interrogators to use physical and psychological violence ³² .
Transmitted orders for the arrest, torture, and execution of detainees ³³ .
Provided assistance, encouragement, and moral support to his staff, aware that his actions would enable crimes at S-21 ³⁴ .
As a superior, exercised effective control over staff, knew that his subordinates were committing crimes, and failed to take measures to prevent them or punish the perpetrators ³⁵ .
Detained no fewer than 12,273 individuals at S-21, executed at least 11,742 prisoners at S-21, most of whom were systematically tortured, and is responsible for the deaths of victims who suffered from extreme conditions of detention which led to widespread disease, malnourishment, and physical and psychological pain ³⁶ .

Counsel

Mr. Kar Savuth, Mr. Kang Rethiry, Mr. Francois Roux, Ms. Marie-Paule Canizarés