A Washington Post editorial on Monday has called for the world not to turn a blind eye to the barbarous rule of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un for his violation of human rights, in addition to concerns about his pursuit of nuclear weapons.
The editorial cited a Committee for Human Rights in North Korea report released recently which uses satellite photography to document a parallel set of "punishment" camps there that exist along with the political internment facilities exposed in earlier reports, providing further evidence of the crimes against humanity being carried out by the regime.
These second camps hold prisoners accused of political "crimes" set by the state, which include participating in unauthorized gatherings; criticizing the state or even expressing dissatisfaction privately; possessing "decadent" drawings, written materials, music, movies or videos; and "foul, hostile, or superstitious activities."
The suffering in these gulags is similar to what goes in the other camps, including starvation, forced labor and brutal conditions that lead to many deaths.
The number of prisoners held in these camps is estimated at some 70,000, according to a United Nations report.
The Washington Post editorial said that although these prisons are sometimes called re-education camps, "that is a terrible misnomer; what's going on is far more severe than just brainwashing sessions."
The Post went on to say that just as the Nazi concentration camps shocked the world, the discovery of such horrors today should prompt an appropriate response and sense of outrage.
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