SAOM Met
Mr. Saom Met was called as a witness to testify on the functioning of S-21.
Saom Met joined the Khmer Rouge revolution in early 1973, first as a militia member and then as a soldier. After the Khmer Rouge victory, he was trained for eight months to become a messenger. He first worked as a guard in the general staff prison Dam Pheng before being sent to S-21 in 1977. There he was one of twenty guards in the special prison guard unit under the supervision of Him Huy, Sry, and Chamroeun. In late 1978 shortly after his brother had been arrested and sent to S-21, Saom Met was transferred to S-24 without knowing whether or not he was considered a detainee. There he built dykes and canals.
As a witness, Saom Met told the Trial Chamber that the special prison detained senior cadres, sector or zone cadres, and regiment or brigade commanders. The approximately 100 prisoners were shackled and detained in separated cells, each guarded individually. After 20 to 30 days of interrogation, they would be taken away and never returned. Saom Met witnessed the Accused repeatedly visiting the prison. He also told the Chamber that he once saw the Accused beating a prisoner on the back with a stick. He described the interrogation methods that he witnessed. Saom Met recounted that the guards were terrified when they witnessed such serious torture inflicted upon the detainees. The guards lived in constant fear of being detained and executed themselves and trusted no one.
Saom Met told the Trial Chamber that he was not happy with his work as an S-21 guard because people were arrested and killed. However, he could not display his emotions for fear of arrest.
- Witness acronym :
KW-15
- Age at the time of testimony :
51
- Appeared as :
- Cases : Case 001,
- Date(s) of testimony :