002/19-09-2007-ECCC-OCIJ ЮŲŠ / No: D427 Men, women (sometimes pregnant),2485 children and babies2486 were all detained at the North Zone security centre. The detainees were all Cambodians and included ‘new people’,2487 ‘base people’,2488 CPK cadre and soldiers from Sectors 106 and 103,2489 and people linked to the former Khmer Republic regime.2490 The prison was surrounded by concrete walls and there were two main detention rooms, each with a capacity of 200 inmates. To the north of the prison there were individual cells and two other detention rooms with a capacity of 50 to 70 inmates, one of which held female prisoners. The total capacity of the prison was more than 500 prisoners.2491 577. People who were arrested were either sent directly to the North Zone security centres or first transited through one of the district level security centres.2492 People were arrested generally in groups from the same geographical area or military unit and their arrest was decided by the chief of the unit.2493 A former prisoner, a former cadre from Sector 103, states that he was arrested in February 1978 on the direct orders of Kang Chap alias Se, Secretary of the New North Zone.2494 Prisoners were tied up, blindfolded and transported by truck to the North Zone security centre.2495 One witness states that he and his brother-in-law were severely beaten when arrested.2496 Not all of the people arrested were aware of the reason for their arrest, but some were told that they were accused of being political traitors or of having been immoral.2497 578. In the detention facilities, prisoners were separated between men and women and categorized as either serious or light offenders. The former were treated the most harshly with their legs shackled day and night, whilst light prisoners were authorised to work and were shackled only at night, sleeping in different barracks.2498 Prisoners were under strict control and guards regularly mistreated them, even children, by threatening, humiliating and beating them (sometimes to death).2499 Some witnesses saw prisoners who tried to flee or steal food being killed by guards in the compound of the prison.2500 One witness recalls the rape and killing of a cook by guards because she had stolen food.2501 579. Prisoners suffered from the lack of food.2502 No medical treatment was provided to those that became ill2503 and witnesses describe deplorable hygiene conditions.2504 Between one and ten prisoners died per day due to illness or lack of food and were buried in the compound of the Kesararam pagoda.2505 A civil party states that her child died in the North Zone security centre one month after their arrival because of beatings and lack of food and medicine.2506 Guards and light offence prisoners received more food.2507 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. 148