UN Expert Calls for International Criminal Court to Prosecute North Korea for Human Rights Abuses

Strategic Insights -

Marzuki Darusman, the United Nations' special rapporteur on human rights in North Korea, has released a report that urges the UN Security Council to refer the country's human rights situation to the International Criminal Court. This comes after a lengthy report by the U.N. Commission of Inquiry (COI) in February 2014, which alleged gross abuses including summary executions, rape, torture, forced abortions, and enslavement of religious minorities and political dissidents in prison camps holding up to 120,000 inmates. Despite international condemnation and a landmark resolution by the General Assembly in December, the situation remains unchanged, with human rights abuses persisting.

Key Takeaways:

  • The report calls for the UN Security Council to refer the North Korean human rights situation to the International Criminal Court for prosecution, citing gross abuses including summary executions, rape, torture, forced abortions, and enslavement.
  • The Commission of Inquiry (COI) reported in February 2014 that up to 120,000 people were being held in prison camps in North Korea, with the chief targets being religious minorities and political dissidents.
  • The UN has taken several actions against North Korea, but faced opposition from China and Russia, which have veto power on the Security Council.
  • The General Assembly adopted a landmark resolution in December calling for the Security Council to consider referring the North Korean situation to the International Criminal Court.
  • North Korea rejects international criticism of its human rights records, with Foreign Minister Ri Su Yong dismissing it as a "smear campaign" against his country.
  • The criticism against North Korea comes amid heightened tension on the Korean peninsula over Pyongyang's threats to conduct a long-range rocket launch and nuclear test.

Statistics:

  • 120,000: The estimated number of inmates in North Korean prison camps.
  • 2014: The year the Commission of Inquiry (COI) released a report alleging gross human rights abuses in North Korea.
  • 2: The number of countries (China and Russia) that have veto power on the UN Security Council and opposed the UN move to refer North Korea to the International Criminal Court.

Sources:

  • Voice of America (VOA)
  • United Nations Commission of Inquiry (COI) report, February 2014
  • United Nations General Assembly resolution, December 2013