Kaing Guek Eav, the leader at the notorious S-21 prison for the Khmer Rouge regime known simply as Duch, told a U.N.-backed war crimes tribunal Monday that the children of inmates were murdered to keep them silent.
“When children arrived at the center I gave the order to kill them because we were afraid those children would take revenge,” the 66-year-old told the court.
Five senior members of the Khmer Rouge were arrested in 2007 and charged with a variety of atrocities, including war crimes and crimes against humanity. It’s estimated than nearly 2 million people died during the reign of the Khmer Rouge in their effort to form an ultra-communist agrarian utopia through forced labor camps.
Duch denied responsibility for the execution of infants at S-21, a former high school, who were killed by smashing their heads against trees.
“I did not order that crime, but I believe my comrades did that,” said Duch.
Cambodia does not have a death penalty. Duch faces a maximum life sentence in prison if convicted of war crimes, crimes against humanity, torture and homicide.
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[...] trials of notorious (accused) War Criminals Charles Taylor, Radovan Karadzic and Duch proceeded. Duch began the year at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia by begging for mercy and forgiveness, and ended his trial with a motion to dismiss charges. [...]