International Conference on Ending Crimes against Humanity
in North Korea
Date & Time: 3:00 p.m. ~ 6:00 p.m. on April 3, 2012
Location: Press Club on 20th floor, Press Center
Host: ICNK (International Coalition to Stop Crimes against Humanity in North Korea)
Summary
The ICNK is submitting a report on North Korean political prison camps to the UN Human Rights Council so that the Special Rapporteur and related working groups can initiate ‘Special Procedures’. The report is authored by international human rights lawyer Jared Genser, with support from ICNK, who will be publicly releasing the report on April 3rd in Seoul.
The ICNK will then be holding an international conference to discuss the UN’s human rights mechanisms and ways to utilize it in order to end North Korean crimes against humanity, especially those related to political prison camps.
In addition to this, cases of defectors’ family members who have consequently encountered enforced disappearance and been detained in political prison camps will be also examined in the conference.
Purpose
- Review of crimes against humanity in the political prison camps and its updated situation
- Review of legal approach to the political prison camps
- Review of other countries’ comparable cases
- How to utilize UN human rights mechanism for North Korean human rights cases
- Introduction to Special Procedures and UN HR mechanisms
Program
Opening Ceremony
- Opening message - Jack Rendler, North Korea Country Specialist, Amnesty International
- Congratulatory messages
- Introduction to the international conference
Session I: Political Prison Camps
※ Moderator: Song Yun Bok, Secretary General, NO FENCE
- Screening Shin Dong Hyuk's video message to his father
- Introduction to the case of enforced disappearance – Kang Cheol Hwan, President, North Korea Strategy Center
- Testimonies of former political prisoners whose family members have been detained in camps – Ahn Hyuk and Dr. Oh Kil Nam
- Crimes against humanity in the political prison camps– Yoon Yeo Sang, President, NK DB Center
- Q&A
※ Coffee break
Session II: Approach to Political Prison Camps within the UN human rights mechanisms
※ Jhe Sung Ho, former Human Rights Ambassador of MOFAT
- Legal interpretation of NK political prison camps and explanation of Special Procedures – Jared Genser, President, Perseus Strategies
- Introduction to a CoI and NGO activities to establish it – Jack Rendler, North Korea Country Specialist, Amnesty International
- Case study on other countries and the use of Special Procedures: Phil Robertson, Deputy Director of Asia Division, Human Rights Watch
- Possible activities targeting UN HR Council – David Knaute, Head of Asia Desk, FIDH
- Q&A
