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Summary: The UN Commission set up to investigate human rights violations in North Korea has begun its operations with an initial meeting in Geneva. The three Commissioners welcomed the large amount of information that is already being provided by witnesses and experts, and plans to issue a call for submissions from civil society in due course.
The Human Rights Council established the Commission of Inquiry on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) in March 2013 to look into “systematic, widespread and grave violations of human rights”. It is the first such in-depth inquiry to be created by the United Nations to investigate the situation in North Korea. “Our key aim is to help provide the DPRK with the means to improve the human rights of its population,” said Commission Chairperson Michael Kirby. “Our work is guided by respect for the region’s proud history, as well as international human rights standards.” Mr Kirby, a former Australian judge and previously UN Special Representative on human rights in Cambodia, is working with Marzuki Darusman from Indonesia, who is also the current Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in North Korea, and Sonja Biserko, the founder and president of the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia. The Commissioners have come together for the first time in Geneva this week, and have been holding key meetings including with a number of diplomatic missions, UN agencies, scholars and NGOs. They have also been discussing the strategy, methodology and investigative approach they will employ during their mandate. “We have a clear mandate from the Human Rights Council with the aim of providing hope and prospect to the people of DPRK,” said Mr Darusman. “Our inquiry is designed to give voice to the suffering of the people of the DPRK. We are especially keen to closely look at how the current situation is affecting the lives of women, children and vulnerable groups in the country,” said Ms Biserko. The Commissioners said they had written to DPRK representatives in Geneva to “seek engagement in a spirit of co-operation and transparency”. The response has so far been negative, but the Commissioners said Friday that they intend to continue to reach out to the Government of the DPRK and to seek its cooperation, given assurances that representatives of DPRK have previously given to the Human Rights Council that the DPRK “prioritizes human rights and honours the UN Charter and international human rights instruments.” What you can do! The Commission of Inquiry, which consists of the three Commissioners with a supporting team of nine experienced human rights officials, has already received an “encouraging” amount of information, and will shortly publish a call for submissions. The Commissioners said they planned to issue regular public updates on their work. About the Commission The Commission of Inquiry on the DPRK was established by Human Rights Council resolution 22/13 to investigate a variety of alleged violations. These include alleged violations relating to the right to food; as well as those associated with prison camps, torture, arbitrary detention, discrimination, freedom of expression, the right to life, and freedom of movement; it will also look into enforced disappearances, including the abduction of nationals of other states. Further Information