NextFin news, The United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities stated on Wednesday that there are credible reports of North Korea conducting medical and scientific experiments on individuals with psychosocial and intellectual disabilities without their free and informed consent.
The committee's findings include forced sterilizations and abortions of women with disabilities, as well as the killing of children born with disabilities, reportedly with official consent in medical institutions. These acts are said to occur in pediatric institutions and detention facilities within North Korea.
Committee member Mara Gabrilli told reporters that there are also reports of people with disabilities being subjected to clinical trials against their will. The committee has urged the North Korean government in Pyongyang to criminalize such experiments immediately, ensure independent oversight of institutions, and establish mechanisms for redress.
The report is based on testimonies from North Korean defectors, confidential reports, and information from the UN special rapporteur on disability rights who visited the country in 2017. North Korea has denied all allegations, labeling them as false.
The committee expressed concern that North Korea's constitution does not explicitly prohibit discrimination based on disability and that denial of reasonable accommodation is not recognized as discrimination. It also highlighted societal stigma and a two-tier system where veterans with physical impairments receive special treatment, while others with disabilities are excluded from services.
Furthermore, the committee reported that persons with disabilities in detention are subjected to degrading treatment, including solitary confinement for perceived disobedience or non-productivity. It called on Pyongyang to take effective measures to prevent torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment of disabled persons.
The committee recommended that North Korea prohibit all medical and scientific experiments on persons with disabilities and respect their bodily integrity, autonomy, and human rights.
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