EGN NEWS DESK
A brand new report by Christian Solidarity Worldwide has condemned North Korea’s ongoing repression of civil and spiritual liberties.
The report, titled ‘North Korea: We can’t look away’, was printed to mark the tenth anniversary of a landmark report by the UN Commission of Inquiry into in depth human rights violations within the hermit communist nation.
The UN report condemned the “gravity, scale and nature” of human rights abuses being dedicated within the nation and mentioned on the time that North Korea “doesn’t have any parallel within the up to date world”.
In its anniversary report, CSW mentioned that 10 years on, Christianity is particularly focused within the ongoing suppression of beliefs, though those that specific an opinion difficult the Kim regime can even face extreme punishment.
“No steps” have been taken by the Kim regime to uphold worldwide human rights requirements, CSW mentioned, including that the human rights state of affairs in North Korea stays nearly unchanged and should even have deteriorated on account of various components together with the pandemic and the pressured repatriation of North Korean refugees from China.
Penalties for expressing opinions or beliefs deemed to problem the Kim regime embrace torture, detention in political jail camps, and even execution. North Koreans suspected of utilizing spiritual supplies, together with the Bible, can anticipate the identical destiny.
The report attracts on interviews with six North Korean escapees and 17 specialists on the nation, and was launched in Seoul, South Korea.
CSW’s CEO Scot Bower mentioned {that a} decade on from the UN’s landmark report, the Kim regime “stays dedicated to being a pariah on the worldwide stage and performing with hostility in direction of international requirements for human rights”.
“We hope that this report generates additional dialog and modern pondering amongst researchers, policymakers, civil society and funders on how you can deal with one of many worst human rights and humanitarian crises on this planet,” he mentioned.
“Our imaginative and prescient stays one in every of a North Korea by which everyone seems to be free to train their rights and freedoms, together with the precise to freedom of faith or perception, and at this time we reaffirm our dedication to making sure that this imaginative and prescient turns into a actuality.”
In a brand new UN report into human rights abuses in North Korea, UN Secretary-General António Guterres says that North Korea and its leaders should be held to account.
The repression of freedom of thought and expression elevated considerably between July 2023 to May 2024, and the regime has been cracking down on “reactionary” content material, in accordance with the report.
“Given the inaction of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, it’s crucial that accountability be pursued elsewhere. The General Assembly … known as upon the Security Council and Member States to take additional steps to make sure prison accountability, together with by way of referral of the state of affairs to the International Criminal Court,” mentioned Guterres.
Timothy Cho, a North Korean who escaped the nation and now works for the spiritual persecution charity Open Doors, mentioned, “It’s solely proper that the individuals who have consigned a whole lot of 1000’s to jail and hunger ought to reply for his or her crimes.
“However, with China, and now Russia standing with the North Korean regime, it is solely a distant dream.”
Open Doors coordinator for ministry amongst North Koreans, Simon Lee (title modified for safety causes), mentioned that North Korea’s Law on Rejecting Reactionary Thought and Culture has not solely focused South Korean tradition and overseas information, but in addition Christians and spiritual materials together with the Bible.
Although the official textual content doesn’t point out Christianity or faith, it speaks of “superstitious supplies”.
“Every North Korean is aware of what is supposed with that phrase,” he mentioned.
