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UN rights body condemns North Korea violations

By Bernard Hibbitts (editor) and University of Pittsburgh School of Law students.

[JURIST] The UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) adopted a resolution Thursday condemning North Korea for human rights violations. The resolution decries "grave, widespread and systematic human rights abuses in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, in particular the use of torture and labour camps against political prisoners and repatriated citizens of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea." The council extended the assignment of Special Rapporteur Vitit Muntarbhorn for one year and asked that North Korea and the UN General Assembly cooperate with and assist Muntarbhorn in his mission. Earlier this month Muntarbhorn, who has not been admitted into North Korea, presented a report to the UNHRC that found the situation in North Korea was deteriorating and that sanctions had not improved human rights conditions. In October, Muntarbhorn criticized North Korea for human rights violations. Muntarbhorn said that North Korea was responsible for a broad range of human rights violations, including torture, public executions, and widespread hunger. In March 2009, Muntarbhorn told the UNHRC that he found egregious human rights violations in North Korea. In October 2008, Muntarbhorn urged North Korea to improve its treatment of prisoners and unsuccessful defectors, as well as to cooperate in locating kidnapped foreign citizens. In January 2008, Muntarbhorn made similar comments during his visit with a special UN envoy to Japan to assess the impact of the North Korean rights situation on that country. North Korea has frequently been accused of human trafficking, press repression, and "actively committing crimes against humanity".

Full post as published by JURIST - The Paper Chase on March 26, 2010 (boomark / email).