An entire family, including a 2-year-old child, was sentenced to life in prison in North Korea for possessing a Bible. A US report reveals this and other violations against religious freedom in the Asian country.
Newsroom(31/05/2023 15:50, Gaudium Press) An entire family, including a 2-year-old child, was sentenced to life in prison in North Korea for possessing a Bible.
This happened in 2009 and was revealed by the recent US State Department report on religious freedom in the People’s Republic of Korea.
The document cites the NGO Korea Future, which is dedicated to investigating and fighting for justice in North Korea, and also the Open Door Organization, an NGO that evaluates persecution against Christians around the world.
The US report explains that according to Korea Future, the North Korean government prohibits religious freedom and cites several incidents of imprisonment, torture, and inhumane treatment for citizens who oppose religious censorship.
Cases of torture and detention
The data in the document comes from interviews with 244 victims, mostly practitioners of shamanism, but also 91 Christians who have been detained in the country for practicing their religion.
Open Doors estimates that between 50,000 and 70,000 Christians are arrested in the country. The government encourages citizens to report any suspicious religious behavior to the authorities.
A woman practicing shamanism told how she was forced to do hard labor and was not fed enough. Sometimes her food was spoiled and she weighed as much as 35 kilos.
The report recounts the case of an entire family that was arrested for practicing the Christian religion and possessing a Bible. All members of the family, including a two-year-old baby, were sentenced to life imprisonment in a government concentration camp. This dates back to 2009, which shows how difficult it is to get information in one of the most closed countries in the world.
Systematic persecution against religion
In 2021, the organization Korea Future identified 68 cases of persecution against individuals because of their religion. The data was collected thanks to interviews with witnesses, survivors or torturers who defected from the North Korean regime in 2019. North Korea is estimated to have at least 5 political prison camps.
The document reveals that there are two types of process for punishing someone for religious practices. The first type is generally reserved for followers of shamanism and sentences range from six months in a forced labor camp to three or more years in a re-education facility.
The second type of sentencing is dedicated to Christians and provides for sentences ranging from 15 years to life imprisonment. However, the report states that credible reports from former security officials attest to the execution of Christians and some shamanists. (FM)
Compiled by Teresa Joseph
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