M-13 was used by the Khmer Rouge as the main prison from 1971 until April 1975 before it was transferred to S-21 when the regime took over the Phnom Penh capital. The research study of the M-13 allows us to understand the early stage of the Khmer Rouge ideology before it came to power.

With the support from Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Cambodia in the mission of peacekeeping and the endorsement of the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum has conducted field research on M-13. The project duration was between September and November 2020 when 16 M-13 survivors and former M-13 officers were interviewed in detail over the past situation at that time. The research findings give us various inputs to identify the Khmer Rouge’s original ideology.