Fact-Check: Does this photo depict torture against Khmer Krom in Vietnam?

The history of Cambodia-Vietnam relationship is often debated and shared on social media, leading to various allegations. One of them is that a photo showing torture committed against jailed persons was published on a Facebook page last month alongside a claim saying it was torture committed by Vietnamese against Khmer Krom who live in Kampuchea Krom or south Vietnam today. The photo along with the claim had been multiple shared on social media. After running Yandex, however, it is found out the claim is false.

Social Media Claim

On October 25, a Facebook name ខ្មែរ​កម្ពុជា​ក្រោម​ស្រឡាញ់​ទឹកដី​កេរ្តិ៍​ដូន​តា (Khmer Kampuchea Krom Loving Ancestors’s Land) posted a photo showing sculptures of torture committed by people in military uniform.

The Facebook page claimed it was torture committed by Vietnamese soldiers against native people Khmer Krom in south Vietnam today. The photo along with the claim had been shared many times alongside mixed comments and many reactions.

Below is a capture of the claim written “Historically, Vietnam badly treats Khmer. All Khmer generations should be clear who is friend and who is enemy. Do not believe in lied history!”

Facebook Post | Archived

Fact Check

Fact Crescendo Cambodia begins checking facts related to the photo and claim above by running Yandex, leading to see the many similar photos and their details as well.

The photo was published by Vietnamese media named Zing News in its article posted on July 13 in 2014. The photos is among many other photos showing different forms of tortures committed against jailed persons in a prison called Coconut Tree Prison located on Koh Tral or Phu Quoc island.

The photo shows sculptures of two military-uniformed men pushing a man into a bucket full of water, one soldier hit with a thumping, causing pain in ears of the jailed person. The torture took place between 1967 and 1973 in Vietnam War, according to the media’s report.

Zing News | Archived

Coconut Tree Prison

The website of Phu Quoc Prison says the prison was designated as an important tourist destination on the island in 1996, 21 years after the prison was closed following the collapse of Saigon government.

The website adds the prison was built by French colonialism administration between 1949 and 1950 to jail political dissidents. It was reoccupied by the U.S.-backed South Vietnam’s government to be prison to jail North Vietnam’s communist soldiers.

Located on Phu Quoc island or Koh Tral, the prison covers 400 hectares of land and placed 40,000 prisoners including 32,000 communist soldiers and political prisoners.

Prisoners had been tortured in different forms such as pulling teeth, finger nails and toenails, pushing into buckets full of water, placing on oven, and keeping in tiger cage.

Phu Quoc Prison | Archived

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Conclusion

Fact Crescendo Cambodia found out the claim over the photo above is false. The photo does not show how Khmer Krom were tortured by Vietnam. The photo of sculptures showing different forms of torture committed by soldiers of South Vietnam administration against North Vietnam’s communist soldiers and political prisoners during Vietnam War.