'200 kids killed at Khmer Rouge prison'

 
Sous Thy, 58, was testifying at the UN-backed court against prison chief Duch, who is accused of overseeing the torture and execution of around 15,000 people held at Tuol Sleng prison, known as S-21, in the late 1970s.

The witness, who was assigned to register incoming prisoners, told the court up to 200 children were separated from their parents who were jailed at Tuol Sleng, but details of the young inmates were not recorded. “I did not register their names in the list and their photographs were not taken either... The children would be separated, and once they entered the prison they would not survive. All of them would be killed,” Sous Thy said.

“The number of children killed, according to my observation, though I am not certain, could have been more than 100 and up to 200 at the most,” he added.

Sous Thy told the court he was asked to “be alert 24 hours” to register incoming prisoners, who were handcuffed and blindfolded, and was also ordered to list outgoing prisoners as they were taken from Tuol Sleng to be executed.

“Only Duch had the authority to (order) anyone to be smashed,” Sous Thy said. He added that a senior cadre warned him if he made a mistake in identifying a prisoner to be killed, he would be accused of being a traitor.