A Cambodian, born in 1931, Khieu Samphan has Chinese ancestry, a wealthy family, is intelligent, and his life journey is like a plug-in. He attended a school run by King Sihanoukville, was admitted to a state scholarship, studied in France at public expense, studied for a doctorate in France, returned to China as a university teacher, and later joined the court of King Sihanoukville as a minister.
However, Chosampan betrayed King Sihanouk, defected to Pol Pot in the jungle, and embarked on a road of no return from then on, aiding and abetting abuse. Although he also became the head of state, he was eventually arrested and imprisoned in his eighties.
At the time of his trial, Jyotersen Pan defended himself. He said that he had to defect to Pol Pot as a last resort, forced him to go to Liangshan, that Prime Minister Lon Nol had struck him, framed him for colluding with Pol Pot, and that he was forced to leave his family, leave his beloved and loyal king and royal government, and join the ranks of ChiKhmer.
Is this really the case? Anyway, Prime Minister Lon Nol is no longer in the world, and will not stand up from the coffin to refute Khieu Samphan. When the Pol Potists ruled Cambodia, they once said that Khieu Samphan, Hu Rong, and Fu Ning were all the details he sent to infiltrate the government of the Sihanoukville Kingdom.
Jhosampan said that he was forced to go to Liangshan, framed by Prime Minister Lon Nol, and had to defect to Pol Pot in the jungle. Pol Pot, on the other hand, said that Jyotsampan and others were the ones he had sent to the Sihanoukville government. Which claim is true?
This is Rashomon. The truth is known only to the parties, each of them has its own reasoning, and no one can find evidence anyway.
But is it true that Jyotsampan says he loves King Sihanouk? I'm afraid not. Sihanouk got along quite well with Jyosenpan and Hu Rongfuning, and King Sihanouk severely criticized Jyosenpan, Hu Rong, and Fu Ning, forcing them to pledge allegiance to him.
The historical data we see now is that When Khieu Samphan, Hu Rong, and Fu Ning studied in Paris, France, they participated in the communist organization, and when they were Sihanoukville ministers, they were restless and wanted to redden Cambodia, and they were in agreement with Pol Pot's beliefs, so could Jyosenpan love King Sihanoukville?
Jofferson, who never admits to his crimes, believes he was wronged to go to jail, has appealed. In the second half of 2022, he will be retried, and it will be possible to see if Jhieu Samphan can push back the charges imposed on him by the previous trial.
References: Sihanoukville, The Unsinkable King, Pol Pot