Khmer Rouge Executioner Nets Only 19 Years Behind Bars For Genocide
Just lately, one of the tribunal trials of a Khmer Rouge official, decades after the murderous Khmer Rouge was forced from power. Notorious hatchet man for the regime, Kang Kek Iew or Kaing Guek Eav, or “Comrade Duch,” was captured in 1999 and put on trial before a Cambodian tribunal. The trial of the man who presided over more than 17,000 executions has concluded. The recently concluded trial saw the man who presided over 17,000 or more executions received only 19 years for his crimes, after credit for time served. Survivors of the era and the bereaved of the victims announced outrage at the sentence.
Warden for the Khmer Rouge murdered thousands
The Khmer Rouge regime came to power in 1975. Pol Pot was the head of the brutal regime, and they set about divesting themselves of the middle class and bringing about a collectivist agrarian utopia. The first to be sentenced to die were the educated, teachers, and quite possibly wearing glasses carried a death sentence for appearing to be haughty and bookish. Kaing Guek Eav was the head of security for the Santebal, the state police, and was put in charge of Tuol Sleng prison, or S-21. Tuol Sleng received over 17,000 prisoners for torture and execution. From that 17,000 that were sent, 12 lived to talk about it.
Discovery and detainment
When the Khmer Rouge were toppled in 1979, their personnel scattered. Pol Pot lived in a jungle retreat and was confined to house arrest until his death in 1998. Other officials of the Khmer Rouge went on trial, and some still are. Kaing Guek Eav was discovered going under a pseudonym near the Cambodia-Thailand border, surrendering to authorities in 1999. He was brought before the Khmer Rouge tribunals, and went to trial. He was credited 16 years against his 35 year sentence for crimes against humanity, for 11 years served and 5 years of pre-trial detention, on July 26, 2010. As outlined by the Christian Science Monitor, he will only serve 19 years behind bars.
What you need, my son
The sentence has not gone over well with survivors and families of the victims of the Khmer Rouge. Millions perished at the hands of the Khmer Rouge, and one of its chief henchmen may live to be released. Present at his trial was Chum Mey, one of 3 living survivors of Tuol Seng. His wife and children were tortured and murdered by the Khmer Rouge. He opined that “millions of individuals died, lots of cash has been spent on the court - and the perpetrator is free (in 19 years )? I am not happy with that.”
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khmer_Rouge
csmonitor.com/World/Asia-Pacific/2010/0726/Khmer-Rouge-executioner-found-guilty-but-Cambodians-say-sentence-too-light
bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-10763409