Press conference by Mr. Marzuki Darusman, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea

28 Oct 2014

Marzuki Darusman DPRK 인권상황 특별보고관 기자회견

2014. 10. 28.

http://webtv.un.org/media/press-conferences/watch/human-rights-in-the-democratic-peoples-republic-of-korea-press-conference-28-october-2014/3863272355001

Source:

(indicated above)

UN General Assembly

69th Session

Third Committee

31st Meeting

28 October 2014

UN 총회

제69차 회기

제3위원회

제31차 회의

2014. 10. 28.

http://webtv.un.org/meetings-events/general-assembly/main-committees/3rd-committee/watch/third-committee-31st-meeting-–-69th-general-assembly/3863199285001

[2:11:08 - 2:18:53]

Mr. Marzuki Darusman, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea: Presentation of the report

Marzuki Darusman DPRK 인권상황 특별보고관: 보고서 발표

[2:18:53 - 2:56:55]

Member States: Questions & Comments

회원국: 질의 및 논평

[2:56:55 - End]

Mr. Marzuki Darusman, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea: Response

Marzuki Darusman DPRK 인권상황 특별보고관: 답변

[Excerpts/발췌]

http://webtv.un.org/meetings-events/general-assembly/main-committees/3rd-committee/watch/marzuki-darusman-third-committee-31st-meeting-69th-general-assembly/3863075338001

Mr. Marzuki Darusman, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea: Presentation of the Report

Marzuki Darusman DPRK 인권상황 특별보고관: 보고서 발표

Progamme

Promotion and protection of human rights (A/69/383–S/2014/668) [item 68]

(b)  Human rights questions, including alternative approaches for improving the effective enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms (A/69/277, A/69/121, A/69/97, A/69/214, A/69/99, A/69/336, A/69/333, A/69/287, A/69/293, A/69/268, A/69/288, A/69/266, A/69/263, A/69/261, A/69/259, A/69/295, A/69/275, A/69/302, A/69/273, A/69/274, A/69/402, A/69/272, A/69/518 (to be issued), A/69/265, A/69/294, A/69/299, A/69/335, A/69/297, A/69/269, A/69/365, A/69/286, A/69/397, A/69/276 and A/69/366)

(c)  Human rights situations and reports of special rapporteurs and representatives (A/69/362, A/69/306, A/69/301, A/69/398, A/69/356, A/69/307, A/C.3/69/2, A/C.3/69/3, A/C.3/69/4, A/C.3/69/5, the Report of the Secretary-General on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (to be issued), and the Note by the Secretary-General transmitting the report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (to be issued))

Introductory statements, followed by interactive dialogues

Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association

Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights

Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus

Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

[Meetings Coverage and Press Releases/회의취재 및 보도자료]

31st & 32nd Meetings (AM & PM)

Positive developments were reported by Marzuki Darusman, Special Rapporteur on Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, who said that while long-standing patterns of violations continued to be widespread, the country had shown the beginnings of a re-engagement with the international community on human rights.  Noting the reopening of the investigation into outstanding cases of abduction of Japanese nationals, he called on the United Nations system to assist the country on its path to real and meaningful change.

A representative of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea reiterated that his country had rejected the report.  The Special Rapporteur’s mandate originated from a resolution concocted by some powers that aimed at eliminating the social system of his country.  As such, the report had no credibility, as it rested on the testimonies of those who had deserted their families and betrayed their motherland.  The draft resolution being tabled in the Committee by the European Union and Japan had no relevance to human rights and, therefore, his country would oppose it.

(...)

MARZUKI DARUSMAN, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, said it was an important year for the international community’s collective engagement on human rights in that country.  The Commission of Inquiry on human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea had completed reports on investigations, and had submitted them to the Human Rights Council.  The Commission had concluded that there were long-standing and ongoing patterns of systematic and widespread violations in the country.  At the same time, he continued, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea had shown the beginnings of a disposition towards re-engagement with the international community on human rights.  Additionally, the country had reopened with Japan a bilateral process of investigation into outstanding cases of abduction of Japanese nationals.  Noting combined efforts, he emphasized that a real and a meaningful change could be made possible.

The United Nations system had a key role to play in alleviating the plight of the people of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.  In that regard, he looked forward to concrete actions by the different departments and agencies to follow up the Commission’s recommendations.  It was also important that all Member States and other relevant stakeholders facilitated and provided a field-based structure and platform to exchange information.  For his part, he would visit the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and engage in further dialogue and technical cooperation on critical issues of concern.  Concluding, he said, the international community must send an unequivocal signal to follow up on the Commission’s findings and recommendations.

A representative of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea said that the report represented a politicization of human rights and a misuse of principles.  The Special Rapporteur’s mandate originated from an anti-Democratic People’s Republic of Korea resolution, concocted by some powers that aimed at eliminating the social system of his country.  His report had no credibility, as it rested on the testimonies of those who had deserted their families and betrayed their motherland.  The draft resolution tabled by the European Union and Japan had no relevance to human rights and, therefore, his country would oppose it.

In the interactive debate that followed, some representatives stated that selective targeting through country-specific reports deepened the politicization of human rights.  Stressing that the Human Rights Council and the universal periodic reviews were instrumental for the promotion for human rights, they asked if there was an opportunity to transfer the current dialogue from the draft resolutions to the review framework.

Other delegates asked the Rapporteur to continue to bring attention to the deplorable human rights situation in that country, and asked if it was realistic to expect genuine engagement from its Government.  Some speakers sought more information on how countries could individually support the Rapporteur’s work, on the creation of a contact group, and how Member States could use their relationship with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to promote human rights.

Responding, Mr. DARUSMAN said that he would focus on some general observations, instead of responding to individual questions.  He stated that the Commission of Inquiry’s report had established the facts and the international community was not here to contest that report, but to address the almost total denial of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.  Welcoming a call for dialogue, he proposed that the international community should pursue accountability while opening up collaboration with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.  The engagement of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in the review framework was a good sign, and it was entirely possible to move away from the report framework.  But that would require the readiness of the country to engage in dialogue, he said.

For the first time in a decade since his mandate had been established, he reported, he had been able to meet with a representative of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea yesterday.  That was an opportunity for the international community to open space for cooperation with the country, moving forward on a two-track path.

Participating in the dialogue today were the representatives of Iran (speaking on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement), Cuba, Canada, Republic of Korea, China, Venezuela, Belarus, Switzerland, Australia, Czech Republic, Japan, United Kingdom, United States, Liechtenstein (speaking on behalf of his country and Iceland), Maldives, Norway, and Lithuania, as well as the European Union Delegation.

(...)

[OHCHR News]

DPRK / Human rights: Key report must be sent to UN Security Council, says UN Special Rapporteur

NEW YORK / GENEVA (28 October 2014) – The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), Marzuki Darusman, today urged the UN General Assembly to submit the report by a special commission of inquiry that documents wide-ranging and ongoing crimes against humanity in the country to the Security Council and urge its referral to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

“This would send an unequivocal signal that the international community is determined to take the follow up to the work the commission of inquiry on the DPRK to a new level,” Mr. Darusman said during the presentation of his latest report* to the global body.

The Special Rapporteur held his first ever meeting with DPRK officials on the margins of the General Assembly on Monday 27 October.

“I welcome these signs of increased engagement by the DPRK with the Human Rights Council and international community, and I hope they will bear fruit,” Darusman said. “But these must be premised on a more fundamental acknowledgement of the scale of the problems and must not divert from efforts to ensure the accountability of those responsible.”

In a landmark report submitted in March 2014 to the Human Rights Council, the commission of inquiry concluded that a number of long-standing and ongoing patterns of systematic and widespread violations in North Korea met the high threshold required for crimes against humanity in international law.

Such violations relate to arbitrary detention, torture, executions and prisons camps; violations of the freedoms of thought, expression and religion; discrimination on the basis of State-assigned social class, gender and disability; violations of the freedom of movement and residence; violations of the right to food; and enforced disappearances, including through international abductions and enforced disappearances.

The expert further urged the United Nations system as a whole to follow up the commission of inquiry’s report in a coordinated and unified way, as envisaged in the ‘Rights up Front’ initiative.

“To this end, all relevant parts of the UN system should work to alleviate specific areas of sufferings, as relevant to their mandates, in relation to the aforementioned violations documented by the commission of inquiry and the recommendations accepted during the universal periodic review,” Mr. Darusman said.

The Special Rapporteur welcomed the North Korean authorities active engagement in the second review of the human rights situation in the country carried out by other States in a process known as the ‘universal periodic review.’ He noted that the Government accepted 113 recommendations out of the 268 made, mainly related to the fulfilment of economic, social and cultural rights and the protection of women’s and children’s rights.

Mr. Darusman asked the UN General Assembly to request the DPRK to grant access to the UN human rights mechanisms to assist, assess and verify the implementation of such recommendations. However, he noted with deep concern that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea failed to accept any recommendations relating to the findings of the commission of inquiry.

Finally, the expert said he was encouraged by recent moves to reopen the investigation of international abductions and enforced disappearances committed by the DPRK.

“The North Korean authorities should allow all persons who have been abducted or otherwise forcibly disappeared, as well as their descendants, to return immediately to their countries of origin, and speed up the investigation into the fate of those missing in a transparent and verifiable manner,” Darusman said.

Source:

http://www.un.org/press/en/2014/gashc4112.doc.htm