In the late 1970s, the Khmer Rouge regime transformed a former high school in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, into Security Prison 21, or S-21, a center of torture and interrogation.
Today, it serves as a museum, preserving the harrowing memories of its dark past. Visitors encounter stark prison cells, haunting photographs, and chilling remnants of the atrocities committed within its walls. S-21 stands as a solemn reminder of Cambodia’s tragic history and the resilience of its people.
It serves as a crucial educational site, urging reflection on the consequences of tyranny and the importance of safeguarding human rights.
This is the most notorious place in Phnom Penh. Before the Khmer Rouge took power in 1975, Security Prison 21, or S-21, operated as an ordinary school called Tuol Sleng.
After the Khmer Rouge took over, they transformed the classrooms into small cells, imprisoning about 14,000 people during their four-year rule. S-21 was one of the torture and execution centers among 196 centers.
Once inside the school, visitors witness the actual quarters where prisoners endured torture, starvation, beatings, shackling, and confinement, and were driven to death.
You also find torture beds in cells where prisoners were tortured and then sent to Ek Genocide for execution. Some people fell into the trap of promises of opportunities, others were forcefully brought to S-21.
Firstly, the staff took their clothes and photographed them. They noted their height, previous profession, skills, and biography, then shackled and confined them in tiny brick alcoves.
Enduring Hunger, Humiliation, and Squalor
The people suffered from malnutrition, receiving one bowl of porridge or rice and watery soup of leaves twice a day. A 5-liter bottle to urinate and an ammunition box for defecating are provided to the prisoners.
Sprayed with a hose maybe every 4 days to eliminate the smell of urine and defecation, and left to starve and suffer. The unhygienic conditions in the prison caused skin diseases, lice, rashes, ringworms, and other ailments.
Guards ordered prisoners to strip for inspection at 4:30 am, marking the beginning of the day in the prison.
Witnessing Tragedy and Survival:
Guards subjected the prisoners to torture using electric shocks, searing hot metal instruments, knives for cutting, suffocation with plastic bags, and hanging.
Out of 20,000 people sent to prison, only 20 survived. Visitors pay an entry fee of $5 for the S-21 prison, and it is advisable to purchase an audio guide, priced at $8.
This spot is open to visitors from 8 in the morning to 5 in the evening. If you are visiting midweek, arrive before 2 and get a chance to meet and speak with victims of the Khmer Rouge and on some days, a survivor of Khmer Rouge.
The talk lasts about 30 minutes and takes place in the Meeting Room.
Exploring the Main Buildings of S-21
S-21 divides into four main buildings, known as Building A, B, C, and D. Building A houses a large cell where they discovered the bodies of the last victims.
B block has a gallery of photographs. Building C contains rooms subdivided to create small cells. Building D houses the instruments used to torture prisoners.
To get more information you can also watch two documentaries played each day in the Movie room. The first documentary is “The Killing Machine” shown from 9:50 am- 11:00 am. The second one is “Behind the Wall of S-21” from 3:45 pm- 4:15 pm.
How to reach:
The distance between the S-21 museum and Phnom Penh is about 1.8km. If you are comfortable you can stroll from Ek Genocide to the S-21 museum. Other ways to reach this spot are by hiring a tuk-tuk or a private taxi. Tuk-tuk and private taxis will cost you about $10 for a return trip.
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