Tales of Torture Continue

This morning Som Meth, a former guard of “important prisoners” at Tuol Sleng prison (S- 21), continued his testimony about details of the operations of the prison which was run by the Accused Person, Kaing Guek Eav (alias Duch). He resumed his testimony in front of the judges as well as approximately 400 teachers from the vicinity of Ta Khmao who had come to observe.

In response to a question posed by the national co-prosecutor, Meth testified that he had witnessed the use of torture while serving at S-21. For example, he witnessed cold ice being poured over the body of a prisoner after the prisoner had been stripped down to his underwear. Meth was then asked to comment about a painting by Vann Nath, a prisoner and painter at S-21, which depicted a prisoner having his fingernails pulled out. Meth testified that he did not witness such acts personally, but that he did see the wounds which made it clear that the fingernails had been pulled out. The civil party lawyers continued down this line of questioning, asking Meth to confirm a previous statement that he was witness to other forms of torture such as genital electrocution. However, Meth refused to elaborate, stating only that he already told the court what he knew and what he saw.

Meth remarked that Duch occasionally would visit the interrogation room for some of the “important prisoners,” a statement which prompted Duch to confirm that he occasionally visited prisoners while they were being interrogated. In response to a question about the character of a particular interrogator at S-21, Meth responded succinctly that, “All interrogators were vicious” …

Read more: ctm_blog_8-11-2009