Toul Sleng Genocide Museum, also known as S-21, is a haunting and significant historical site located in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The museum stands as a stark reminder of the brutal atrocities committed during the Khmer Rouge regime in the late 1970s. Toul Sleng was originally a high school known as Tuol Svay Prey High School before it was converted into Security Prison 21 (S-21) by the Khmer Rouge regime. In April 1975, following the fall of Phnom Penh to the Khmer Rouge forces led by Pol Pot, the regime began its radical social engineering policies, aiming to create an agrarian utopia by eliminating perceived enemies of the state.
Prisoners at S-21 were subjected to brutal torture methods to extract information or confessions, often resulting in false admissions of espionage or treason. The inmates endured extreme physical and psychological abuse, including beatings, electric shocks, waterboarding, and other forms of torture. Many prisoners died as a result of the harsh conditions and mistreatment.
One chilling aspect of S-21 was the meticulous documentation of prisoners through photographs and confessions. Each prisoner was photographed upon arrival, and their personal details were recorded in extensive archives. The regime maintained detailed records of interrogations, confessions, and executions, providing a chilling insight into the systematic brutality of the Khmer Rouge.
