Lord Alton of Liverpool – To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made, if any, of the report by Korea Future The North Korean Prison Database, published on 28 March, that the North Korean state bears responsibility for violations of international human rights law across that country’s penal system.
[HL7668]
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon – The UK is deeply concerned by reports, including from Korea Future Initiative, which tell of serious human rights violations in DPRK, including the specific persecution of those who are caught practising religion. We are reviewing the Report’s findings and recommendations and considering how the UK Government can continue to address the appalling human rights situation in the DPRK.
The UK co-sponsored the resolution adopted at the Human Rights Council on 1 April 2022 which seeks to shine a spotlight on the DPRK’s human rights record.
In July 2020, the UK designated two DPRK entities through the Global Human Rights (GHR) sanctions regime, including the Ministry of State Security Bureau 7 and Ministry of People’s Security Correctional Bureau, which together are responsible for the country’s notorious prison camp system.
The UK continues to urge improvements in the DPRK human rights situation, and regularly raises these concerns, including on prison camps, in international fora and directly with the DPRK authorities.
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Lord Alton of Liverpool – To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made, if any, of the BBC report Beatings and Forced Abortions, Life in a North Korea Prison, published on 28 March, which outlined multiple allegations of rape, forced abortions, and other forms of sexual assault within North Korea’s penal system.
[HL7670]
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon – The UK remains deeply concerned by the appalling human rights situation in North Korea, including within prison camps. We are reviewing the BBC report’s findings and recommendations and considering how the UK Government can continue to address the appalling human rights situation in the DPRK. We regularly raise our concerns about human rights violations directly with the DPRK authorities and in international fora. On 1 April 2022, the UK co-sponsored the resolution adopted at the Human Rights Council which seeks to shine a spotlight on the DPRK’s human rights record.
In July 2020, the UK designated two DPRK entities through the Global Human Rights (GHR) sanctions regime, including the Ministry of State Security Bureau 7 and Ministry of People’s Security Correctional Bureau, which together are responsible for the country’s notorious prison camp system.
