Head of state of Democratic Kampuchea
In June 1982 he joined Sihanouk and Son Sann in an anti-Vietnamese coalition government and took charge of its foreign affairs, so that Western support kept Cambodia's UN seat with the coalition.
Cambodian politician and economist. Born in Svay Rieng province, he studied law in Phnom Penh, returned in 1959 to teach at the university and served as a minister under Sihanouk. After the 1967 crackdown on the left he went into hiding, joined the Khmer Rouge and, as chairman of the State Presidium in 1976–1979, served as head of state. He succeeded Pol Pot as Khmer Rouge leader in 1985 and led the movement until 1998. Arrested in 2007, he was sentenced to life in 2014 for crimes against humanity, convicted in 2018 of genocide against the Vietnamese, and had his appeal rejected on 22 September 2022.
Career Timeline
- 1959–1967Returned home, taught at the University of Phnom Penh and served as a minister in Sihanouk's Sangkum government
- 1967Went into hiding from the crackdown on the left and joined the Khmer Rouge
- 1973–1974Led FUNK and GRUNK delegations on tours of North Vietnam, China, Korea, Albania, Yugoslavia, Romania, Algeria and elsewhere
- 1976–1979Chairman of the State Presidium of Democratic Kampuchea, serving as head of state
- 1976Attended a Non-Aligned summit as the representative of Democratic Kampuchea
- 1982–1993Vice-president and foreign secretary of the Coalition Government of Democratic Kampuchea, leading the effort to retain the UN seat
- 1985–1998Formally succeeded Pol Pot as leader of the Khmer Rouge
- 1997Broke with the Khmer Rouge, denouncing Pol Pot and founding the Khmer National Solidarity Party
- 1998Surrendered to Cambodian government forces together with Nuon Chea in December
- 2007Arrested after Prime Minister Hun Sen had defied international pressure and declined to prosecute him
- 2014Sentenced to life imprisonment for crimes against humanity on 7 August
- 2018Convicted on 16 November of genocide against the Vietnamese, while being cleared of involvement in the genocide of the Chams
- 2022His appeal was rejected on 22 September, leaving the convictions standing