002/19-09-2007-ECCC-OCIJ ЮŲŠ / No: D427 195. Within days of the 30 March 1976 Central Committee decision, Ke Pork, North Zone Secretary, notified Pol Pot and Nuon Chea of his willingness to take measures against alleged traitors within the revolutionary ranks.653 Shortly thereafter, Koy Thuon, former North Zone Secretary and then Minister of Commerce,654 was placed under house arrest655 for alleged offences (falling short of accusing him of being an enemy agent)656 and he appears to have been treated as an element in need of political reeducation, pursuant to provisions of the Democratic Kampuchea Constitution.657 He was also expelled from the Party pursuant to its Statute.658 196. Inside the North Zone, the implementation of this 30 March 1976 decision led to the first arrest of a high-level cadre in late 1976, whereby Chheum Meas alias Hah (Secretary of a regiment of North Zone Division 117) was sent to S-21659 where he was made to produce a confession implicating Koy Thuon.660 Around the same time, S-21 cadre arrested the first major Commerce Ministry cadre closely associated with Koy Thuon: Tit Son alias Nhem,661 who was the number two-ranked member of the Centre Commerce Committee662 and who began confessing under torture around November 1976.663 197. As a result of being implicated in these initial confessions, Koy Thuon was deemed to be a traitor, at which time he was arrested on a decision of the Standing Committee664 and sent to S-21, where part of his questioning was conducted by Duch personally.665 Koy Thuon confessed to having been a member of a massive network of traitors, encompassing a large number of administrative and military cadres in the North Zone.666 This lead to a sharp increase in the scope of the purges, with truckloads of arrestees being sent to S-21.667 Duch states that the initial confession of Koy Thuon triggered a massive purge, leading to the arrest of many North Zone cadres.668 Ke Pork supervised the purges of Sector 106 and reported on the situation to Committee 870. 669 A large number of alleged traitors from Sector 106 arrived at S-21 beginning early 1977.670 Lower-ranking victims of the purge where executed locally and replaced by Southwest Zone cadre that had been sent to assist in the purge671 by relatives of Ke Pork.672 198. The purges of the North Zone continued until 1978. Besides Sector 106, the purges severely affected Zone Division 174;673 Sector 103;674 Centre Division 920 and Sector 105;675 Centre Divisions 310 and 450;676 the Centre’s 870 offices;677 former North Zone cadre; and Ministry of Commerce personnel.678 More details on purges in the new North Zone are set out in the section of the Closing Order regarding the North Zone security centre. Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia, National Road 4, Choam Chao, Dangkao Phnom Penh Mailing address: P.O. Box 71, Phnom Penh; Tel: +855(0)23 218914 Fax: +855(0) 23 218941. 53