The Trial Chamber Hears From Two Witnesses and Sees a Key Shift in Procedures

Kork Sras, a former prison guard at Tuol Sleng prison (S-21), appeared before the court again today to share his experiences as a subordinate of the Accused Person, Kaing Guek Eav (alias Duch).

Visitors Demonstrate A Strong Reaction To Witness’s Testimony

As various parties questioned Kork, visitors in the public seating area were reminded of the difficulties associated with trying crimes that had occurred over three decades ago. When asked to give details concerning prison operations and the treatment of detainees, Kork insisted that his memory was not clear enough to offer the court any reliable testimony. Members of the audience vocalized their skepticism with murmurs of distrust on several occasions as Kork claimed he did not even remember major details, such as the name of his supervisor at S-21 and whether he helped bury a group of men after watching them be executed.

Aggravating the public audience further, Kork denied knowledge of some of the most horrific details that have been thoroughly documented by the court. For instance, Kork said that he never saw any women or children detainees, never saw any detainee groups removed from the prison, and never heard about executions taking place at Choeung Ek. After each denial, a noticeable groan was heard from the audience…

Read more: ctm_blog_7-27-2009