North Korea in focus at UN Rights Council

The UN Human Rights Council continues its session in Geneva this week, hearing reports on various situations throughout the world – including North Korea. The UN expert on Human rights in North Korea, Marzuki Darusman, says North Korean leadership has not made any significant efforts to improve the country’s human rights situation.

I believe that there has been a significant deterioration in the human rights situation in the country. I do hope that the new leadership in the DPRK will use the recent succession as an opportunity to engage with the international community and to secure global confidence. I believe that the current transition may be a window of opportunity for the country to adopt a reform process and address all questions and concerns in relation to human rights, which will be welcomed from all quarters.

Darusman’s report also tells the Rights Council that the number of North Koreans seeking refuge in South Korea reached nearly 24 thousand by the end of last year, and continues to grow.

He says most of the asylum seekers had undergone harsh punishment in forced labour camps, or have been victims of torture and other forms of ill treatment. Darusman is calling for an end to forcible repatriation of asylum seekers fleeing from human rights abuses in the North, calling on neighbouring countries to uphold the principle of providing international protection.

The 19th Regular Session of the UN Human Rights Council is underway in Geneva and runs through the 23rd of March. Listen