Nína Björk Jónsdóttir, varafastafulltrúi Íslands, flutti 11. mars 2019 ávarp í umræðum við Tomás Ojea Quintana, sérstakan skýrslugjafa mannréttindaráðsins í málefnum Norður Kóreu. Í ávarpinu er lýst áhyggjum af alvarlegri stöðu mannréttinda í landinu.

Interactive Dialogue on the DPRK

11 March 2018

Statement by Iceland

Mr. President,

Iceland thanks the Special Rapporteur for his latest report and reaffirms its support for his mandate.

We welcome the easing of tensions on the Korean peninsula in the past year and hope for progress on the peace and denuclearization agenda. It is however regrettable that while some positive steps are being made, the serious human rights situation on the ground remains unchanged.

Reports of political prison camps, widespread torture and ill-treatment in detention facilities, corruption by state officials, surveillance and monitoring of the population and restrictions on their basic freedoms are deeply alarming.

Similarly, the humanitarian situation for millions of people in the DPRK remains grim as the country’s most vulnerable people struggle with food insecurity and undernutrition and lack of access to basic services.

The recent analysis by OHCHR which concludes that there are reasonable grounds to believe that numerous crimes against humanity have been committed in the DPRK, and may be ongoing, again highlight the importance of accountability and the extension of the mandate of the accountability team.

During the last UPR review in 2014, the DPRK accepted recommendations on cooperation with the Special Procedures and we urge the DPRK Government to implement these recommendations by engaging with the Special Rapporteur and allowing him to visit the country.

Mr. Special Rapporteur, in order to achieve long-lasting peace, measures to improve the human rights situation must be part of the peace process. What steps can States take to ensure that this happens?

I thank you.