Khieu Samphan ( ; born 27 July 1931 ) is a former Cambodian communist politician who was the chairman of the state presidium of Democratic Kampuchea ( Cambodia ) from 1976 until 1979 . As such , he served as Cambodia 's head of state and was one of the most powerful officials in the Khmer Rouge movement , although Pol Pot remained the General Secretary ( highest official ) in the party . Khieu Samphan is the second oldest living former Khmer Rouge leader , alongside Nuon Chea . On 7 August 2014 , they were convicted and received life sentences for crimes against humanity during the Cambodian genocide , and a further trial found him guilty of genocide in 2018
Cambodian genocide
Cambodian genocide
Khieu Samphan