Active Stocks
Thu Mar 28 2024 15:59:33
  1. Tata Steel share price
  2. 155.90 2.00%
  1. ICICI Bank share price
  2. 1,095.75 1.08%
  1. HDFC Bank share price
  2. 1,448.20 0.52%
  1. ITC share price
  2. 428.55 0.13%
  1. Power Grid Corporation Of India share price
  2. 277.05 2.21%
Business News/ News / World/  ‘Given grass, insects to eat,' survivors narrate horrific tales of North Korean prison
BackBack

‘Given grass, insects to eat,' survivors narrate horrific tales of North Korean prison

One survivor was allegedly forced to undergo an abortion when heavily pregnant, while another suffered from severe malnutrition, losing 45 kilograms in a month and resorting to eating cockroaches and rodents

North Korea frequently denies allegations of human rights abuses – in its prisons or elsewhere – often claiming they are part of a US-orchestrated campaign against it. (AP)Premium
North Korea frequently denies allegations of human rights abuses – in its prisons or elsewhere – often claiming they are part of a US-orchestrated campaign against it. (AP)

The situation in North Korean prisons and detention facilities has long been a source of concern for human rights organizations. Recently, a report has been that highlights a blatant disregard for human rights and dignity inside the jail that includes extrajudicial executions, rape, forced abortions, jail without trial, torture, starvation rations that leave prisoners so hungry some turn to eating insects. 

A report by Korea Future, a human rights NGO, cited the systemic and widespread human rights violations in North Korean prisons and detention facilities. The report draws on testimony from hundreds of survivors, witnesses, and perpetrators of abuse who have fled the country, as well as official documents, satellite images, architectural analysis, and digital modeling of penal facilities. 

The highlighted cases involve three people imprisoned for attempting to cross the border, a punishable offense in the country. One of them was allegedly forced to undergo an abortion when heavily pregnant, while another suffered from severe malnutrition, losing 45 kilograms (99 pounds) in a month and resorting to eating cockroaches and rodents. The third individual was reportedly subjected to stress positions for up to 17 hours a day for 30 days.

North Korea frequently denies allegations of human rights abuses – in its prisons or elsewhere – often claiming they are part of a US-orchestrated campaign against it. 

‘It was like we were the rabbits’

One former inmate compared their treatment to that of animals, saying they were kept in small cells and given animal feed. 

“(In jail), it was like we were the rabbits, kept in a cell and given food from behind bars … we were not treated as humans, but as some kind of animal," she said as quoted by CNN. 

 She also described the lack of nutrition and constant hunger, leading to a skeletal appearance. The survivor's identity has been protected due to potential retribution against her family. 

"It’s all grass and no nutrition so you get hungry as you don’t even feel the food inside your stomach. All your nutrition in your body is gone so you end up looking like a skeleton by the time you leave, just right before dying."

‘I thought I couldn’t live like this’

Meanwhile, a male detailed the horrific conditions he endured, including witnessing guards raping female detainees and being beaten. Despite the brutal treatment, he noted some improvements in his last detention in 2017, such as being able to stand and walk rather than crawl. However, he still endured overcrowding, no heating, and poor rations. 

The survivor ultimately stabbed himself after reporting the sexual assault of female detainees. “I noticed the center guards were raping female detainees at night. They’d ask some women to wash their clothes at night and when the women came out they raped (them)… I thought some things haven’t changed after all these years."

He said he told an inspector what he had seen and that initially he was thanked for bringing the matter up, but soon afterward two men beat him up “so hard."

Soon afterward, “I thought I couldn’t live like this so I broke the window in the room and grabbed a piece of glass," he said. “The police guard came into my room and in front of them I stabbed my tummy."

 

Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed – it's all here, just a click away! Login Now!

Catch all the Business News, Market News, Breaking News Events and Latest News Updates on Live Mint. Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates.
More Less
Published: 24 Mar 2023, 08:28 PM IST
Next Story footLogo
Recommended For You
Switch to the Mint app for fast and personalized news - Get App