North Korea, UN denounces boom in executions and death penalty for viewing foreign films
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: the last 10 years have seen a sharp and multifaceted retreat of individual freedoms in North Korea
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From our correspondent
NEW DELHI - The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights released a report on Friday 12 September documenting how the past 10 years have seen a sharp and multi-faceted retreat of individual freedoms in North Korea. In particular, there has been a tightening of sanctions, including the death penalty, for those who consume or disseminate information, music or films from countries considered 'hostile'. Compared to the past, there has been an intensification of repression, both through searches and inspections of computers, radios and television sets in search of 'anti-socialist' material, and through more advanced surveillance systems. Despite the fact that the government organises public trials and executions for deterrence purposes, the population continues to consume prohibited content, according to the UN report.
On the justice front, trials continue to be short and with a foregone conclusion, often by virtue of confessions extracted by force. Since 2015, the use of the death penalty has 'significantly increased', but not all prisoners make it to the firing squad in time. Witnesses cited in the report explained that they have witnessed the death of numerous prisoners due to torture, mistreatment, lack of medical care, malnutrition, forced labour and suicide. In the camps where political prisoners are held, conditions are, if possible, even worse due to summary executions and deaths from malnutrition. Protecting one's rights as a defendant usually involves paying a bribe.
On the labour front, the cautious openings of past years - when the government tolerated the existence of private markets - are gradually disappearing: hours have been reduced and obtaining licences has become more complex. On the other hand, the use of forced labour has been de facto institutionalised, not infrequently with the use of thousands of orphans and street children to perform dangerous tasks, particularly in the mines. Malnutrition rates among the youngest are high and indoctrination activities intense, as the education system - technically compulsory and free, but not affordable for those who cannot pay for books and exercise books - is increasingly focused on political ideology.
Compared to ten years ago, the authors of the report also recorded less freedom of movement, not only to the outside world - an activity that was once forbidden, but to some extent tolerated - but also between provinces.
