Tou Samouth

Alias : Achar Sok¹

TOU Samouth (1915-1962) was the Secretary of the Communist Party of Kampuchea (“CPK”). He was arrested, tortured, and executed by LON Nol supporters.

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

Key Findings

The Trial Chamber in Case 002/01 and Case 002/02 found that Tou Samouth:

Was likely arrested and executed around February 1962 when he disappeared, necessitating the appointment of a new WPK Party Secretary. ¹⁰

Disclaimer

Tou Samouth 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

1915

Born.²

1940

Became member of the Issarak resistance movement and acted as a deputy to Keo Moni, responsible for the Southeast Zone.³

1950

April

Served as one of Son Ngoc Minh deputies in the People’s Liberation Central Committee and member of the Indochinese Communist Party (“ICP”).⁴

1951

Remained in the leadership structure when the ICP reorganized itself and the Cambodian movement was renamed the Khmer People’s Revolutionary Party (“KPRP”).⁵

1955

Appointed Deputy Secretary of the KPRP and member of the Central Committee.⁶

1959

Late 1959

Became the Party leader following Sieu Heng’s defection to Norodom Sihanouk and may have ordered Pol Pot and Nuon Chea to draft the Party Statute and strategic and tactical lines.⁷

1960

30 September-2 October

Appointed as Party Secretary of the newly named Workers’ Party of Kampuchea (“WPK”) and member of its Central Committee.⁸

1962

Arrested and disappeared, likely executed.⁹