Origins & Early Life

Kang Kek Iew, also spelled Kaing Guek Eav (Khmer: កាំង ហ្គេកអ៊ាវ [kaŋ geːk.ʔiəw]; 17 November 1942 – 2 September 2020), alias Comrade Duch (Khmer: សមមិត្តឌុច [samamɨt ɗuc]) or Hang Pin, was a Cambodian convicted war criminal and member of the Khmer Rouge movement, which ruled Democratic Kampuchea from 1975 to 1979. As the Chairman of Tuol Sleng (S-21) prison camp, and head of the Santebal, Kang Kek Iew was responsible for the interrogation and torture of thousands of individuals, and was convicted for the execution of at least 12,272 individuals, including women and children, but up to 14,000 in total could have died under his oversight. Kek Iew was the first Khmer Rouge leader to be tried by the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia for the crimes of the Khmer Rouge regime, and was convicted of crimes against humanity, murder, and torture for his role during the Khmer Rouge rule of Cambodia and sentenced to 30 years' imprisonment. On 2 February 2012 his sentence was extended to life imprisonment by the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Kek Iew, unlike many other Khmer Rouge cadres, did not dismiss or justify his crimes. He admitted that he had been wrong...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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