PHNOM PENH — Cambodian artist Bou Meng died at the age of 85 in Phnom Penh on August 14, 2026. The Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia stated that Meng died due to age-related illness.

Meng was one of seven known survivors of the S-21 Security Centre, where approximately 20,000 Cambodians were tortured and executed. He was held at the facility for almost two years starting in 1977. Meng survived because he was ordered to paint portraits of Khmer Rouge leader Pol Pot.

It took Meng three months to complete his first outsized painting of Pol Pot. Kaing Guek Eav ordered Meng to create three more paintings of Pol Pot and portraits of other communist leaders, including Mao Zedong and Kim Il Sung. "I was ordered to paint a picture of Ho Chi Minh’s head on the body of a dog," Meng said.

Meng was tortured before being assigned painting duties at S-21. His first wife was arrested with him and disappeared from the prison, and presumably was executed. Records indicate his wife, Ma Yoeun, was tortured and killed on August 16, 1977.

Meng never found his two children, who were taken to the countryside and likely killed. He remarried in later years.

The Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia issued an official statement regarding his death. "The passing of Mr. Bou Meng represents the loss of an important historical witness to the grave crimes committed during the brutal Khmer Rouge regime, particularly to the history and tragedy that took place at the former S-21 Security Centre, the U.N.-backed tribunal said. Youk Chhang, head of the Documentation Center of Cambodia, also commented on the broader implications for remaining survivors. I urge action to preserve stories of the millions who survived the Khmer Rouge and provide them with both mental and physical health support," Youk Chhang said in a text message.

In his later years, Meng often spent his days at the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum selling copies of a book about his experience. S-21 is now the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, named after the high school it occupied before the Khmer Rouge takeover. An estimated 16,000 women and children were detained at S-21 over nearly four years before being killed. An estimated 1.7 million Cambodians died from forced labor, starvation, medical neglect, and executions under the Khmer Rouge regime.

Kaing Guek Eav was the commandant of S-21. He was convicted for the execution of at least 12,272 individuals, with up to 14,000 total deaths under his oversight at S-21. Meng, Vann Nath, and Chum Mey testified in 2009 at the trial of Kaing Guek Eav, also known as Duch.

Kaing Guek Eav was found guilty of crimes against humanity, torture, and murder in 2010 and received a sentence of life imprisonment. Kaing Guek Eav died in prison in 2020 at the age of 77.

Timeline

Meng joined the Khmer Rouge in its war from 1970 to 1975 to unseat a pro-American government. Meng was detained during internal Khmer Rouge purges after their victory in 1975. Meng was held at the S-21 Security center for almost two years starting in 1977.

Meng's wife, Ma Yoeun, was tortured and killed on August 16, 1977, according to Tuol Sleng records. Vietnam invaded Cambodia in 1979 to oust the Khmer Rouge.

What's New

Additional reporting confirms that Meng is a Survivor of the Tuol Sleng prison camp. Approximately 20,000 Cambodians were tortured and executed at the S-21 Tuol Sleng camp. Meng's wife, Ma Yoeun, was tortured and killed on August 16, 1977, according to Tuol Sleng records. Kaing Guek Eav was convicted for the execution of at least 12,272 individuals, with up to 14,000 total deaths under his oversight at S-21.

PureSource News previously reported: Cambodian Police Raid High-Rise Towers Leaving Workers Stranded. The Khmer Rouge is national court established to try senior members of the Khmer Rouge between 1997 and 2022.

Why It Matters

The death of Meng reduces the number of known adult survivors of the S-21 Security center to six. His testimony provided direct evidence of the operations at the facility, which functioned as a detention and torture center during the Khmer Rouge regime. The scale of the atrocities remains large, with an estimated 1.7 million Cambodians dying from forced labor, starvation, medical neglect, and executions.

The Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia served as the judicial mechanism for addressing these crimes, operating between 1997 and 2022. The conviction of commandant Kaing Guek Eav in 2010 represented a major legal outcome for the tribunal. Calls for continued support for survivors highlight the ongoing physical and mental health needs of those who endured the regime.