A report by the non-governmental organization Korea Future reveals some of the persecution and mistreatment suffered by Christians in North Korea.
Newsroom (November 4, 2021, 8:00 PM, Gaudium Press) The NGO Korea Future has published a new report on the religious persecution of Christians in North Korea.
Considered for years as the most difficult nation to practice the Catholic religion, North Korea still today offers great difficulties to know exactly the situation of Christians in the country. The facts and data narrated were collected from interviews with 217 North Korean defectors.
The report also names the situation of some Koreans who had their first contact with Christianity by being in China. It is estimated that 23 people were detained in China for practicing religion and deported to North Korea for this reason.
Human Rights reproaches the Chinese government for violating the principle of non-refoulment if the individual’s life is at risk upon return to the country.
The report presents a total of 456 cases of human rights violations against Christians and practitioners of Shamanism. Among the acts committed against the victims are reports of torture, imprisonment in poor and inhumane conditions, forced labour, ingestion of contaminated food, deaths as a result of mistreatment, and even two executions
Some examples of persecution and mistreatment
The document brings the case of 34 people who were detained for possessing religious articles, and 21 people for practicing their religion.
When the reason for the arrest was related to Christianity, the crime became political, and those involved were sentenced to prison in the center of the country. In addition to numerous cases of aggression, mistreatment and torture.
The case of a girl who was arrested for possessing a Bible and as punishment received several blows of wood.
The report includes the account of a former prisoner who for some months shared a cell with other people who called themselves Christians.
According to him, the Christians prayed in secret, otherwise, they were tortured. Once, they were surprised by the guards while they were praying. As punishment, for 20 consecutive days, they were tortured every morning.
There is also a report of the case of a woman who died as a result of the mistreatment she received because she practiced religion (FM).
Compiled by Zephania Gangl
