This page summarizes cases raised with South Korea (the Republic of Korea) by the Special Rapporteur between May 1, 2011, (when the Special Rapporteur took up his functions) and February 28, 2017 (the date of the last public release of communications). Communications are released to the public once per year. This page also contains observations on these communications and on responses received from South Korea. Communications and observations are divided into sections based upon which observation report they originally appeared. Each communication is referenced as urgent appeal (UA), allegation letter (AL), joint urgent appeal (JUA) and joint allegation letter (JAL) - the hyperlinks lead to these documents. This is followed by the date the communication was issued, as well as the case number and the State reply (also hyperlinked if available). Summaries and communications are published only in the language of submission (in the case of South Korea, English). First Report (May 1, 2011 to March 15, 2012) None Second Report (March 16, 2012 to February 28, 2013) Joint allegation letter, 30/05/2012. Case no. KOR 2/2012. State Reply: 02/01/2013. Alleged acts of harassment, intimidation and ill-treatment of peaceful protesters in Gangjeong village. Observations The Special Rapporteur thanks the... Continue reading →
(English) 제네바 (2016년 9월 28일) - 마이나 키아이(Maina Kiai) 유엔 평화적 집회 맟 결사의 자유 특별보고관은 한국 집회 참가자 백남기 농민이 지난 9월 25일 사망한 데 크게 낙심하며, 백남기 농민을 죽음에 이르게 한 2015년 경찰의 물대포 사용과 관련하여 독립적이고 완전한 조사를 할 것을 촉구한다. 69세 농민인 백씨는 2015년 11월 14일, 서울에서 열린 평화로운 집회에 참석했다가 경찰이 쏜 물대포에 맞아서 땅에 쓰러졌다. 그는 사망할 때까지 의식이 없었다. “이 비극적 죽음에 대해 백남기 농민의 가족과 친구들에게 깊은 위로를 전한다. 2016년 1월 한국을 공식 방문 했을 때 서울에서, 그리고 지난 6월 제네바에서 백남기 농민의 딸들을 만날 기회가 있었다. 그토록 참혹한 시간 속에서도 아버지를 위해 정의를 찾으려는 그들의 용기와 투지에 겸허해졌다”라고 키아이 특별보고관은 말했다. 키아이 특별보고관은 “2015년 11월 민중총궐기 당시 경찰의 물대포 사용에 대해 철저하고 독립적인 수사를 실시할 것을 촉구한다. 동영상을 통해 볼 때 물대포 사용이 백남기 농민을 죽음에 이르게 한... Continue reading →
(한국어 - unofficial translation) GENEVA – The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Maina Kiai, expressed dismay over the 25 September death of South Korean protester Baek Nam-gi, and called for a full and independent investigation into the police’s use of a water cannon last year that led to his death. Mr. Baek, a 69-year old farmer, was knocked to the ground by a water cannon operated by the police while taking part in a peaceful rally in Seoul on 14 November 2015. He had remained in a coma until his passing. “I express my deepest condolences to the relatives and friends of Mr. Baek Nam-gi for this tragic loss. I had the chance to meet Mr. Baek’s daughters in Seoul during my country visit in January 2016 and in Geneva last June. I was very humbled by their courage and determination to seek justice for their father in such harrowing times,” Mr. Kiai said. “I call for a full and independent investigation into the police’s use of water cannon during the rally of November 2015 that unambiguously led to Mr. Baek’s death according to video footage available,” the expert stated. “The perpetrators should be held accountable and the family of Mr. Baek receive appropriate compensation; in addition, adequate measures... Continue reading →
Issue No. 18 of the Assembly and Association Briefing, the newsletter of Maina Kiai, UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association. In this issue: • Full coverage of the Special Rapporteur's recently-completed mission to South Korea • Call for submissions for the UNSR’s next report: Exploring fundamentalism’s impact on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association • UNSR releases annual report recapping 2015 • UN experts urge review of UK surveillance bill threatening freedom of expression • Stop harassment of human rights defenders in occupied Palestinian Territory – UN experts • Alarms over Saudi Arabia’s growing clampdown on freedom of expression • Fundamental freedoms key to ensuring peaceful and fair elections in Venezuela • UN rights experts urge France to protect fundamental rights while countering terrorism • UN experts urge Ethiopia to halt crackdown on protesters, ensure accountability • Freedom of association and assembly: By the numbers • Special Rapporteur news in brief: December 2015 - January 2016 • World briefing: Freedom of assembly and association in the news For a link to the newsletter, click on the image at right or click here (1.9MB file) or here (4.5MB full... Continue reading →
SEOUL – United Nations Special Rapporteur Maina Kiai today commended the Republic of Korea’s “impressive achievements,” but underlined that its journey to democracy is not yet over. At the end of his first official visit to the country, Mr. Kiai warned that the democracy project is still being threatened by a decline on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association. “The project of building democracy and human rights in South Korea is not over; indeed it never truly is, in any nation,” said the independent expert mandated by the UN Human Rights Council to monitor and promote the realization of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association worldwide. “What we have is a structure, and our solemn task as governments and citizens is to continually build upon that structure, strengthening the foundation and cultivating its resilience.” While the Special Rapporteur applauded the Government’s many human rights achievements, he also highlighted “a trend of gradual regression on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association – not a dramatic shutdown of these rights, but a slow, creeping inclination to degrade them.” Mr. Kiai said that undue restrictions are seeping into every stage of the peaceful assembly process in South Korea, despite... Continue reading →
Special Rapporteur Maina Kiai undertook an official mission to the Republic of Korea Jan. 20-29, 2016. The visit was carried out pursuant to his mandate to assess the situation of freedoms of peaceful assembly and association in the country. The Special Rapporteur concluded his visit by congratulating the Republic of Korea on its "arduous journey" from authoritarian rule to democracy, and noted its leading role in the promotion and protection of human rights at the international level. His was quick to caution, however, that "the project of building democracy and human rights in South Korea is not over; indeed it never truly is, in any nation." "What we have is a structure, and our solemn task as governments and citizens is to continually build upon that structure, strengthening the foundation, cultivating its resilience," the Special Rapporteur said during a press conference at the conclusion of his visit on Jan. 29, 2016. Every democratic country will inevitably face challenges, but what concerned the Special Rapporteur during his visit was how the Government of South Korea is addressing them. "I sense a trend of gradual regression on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association – not a dramatic shutdown of these rights, but a slow, creeping inclination to degrade... Continue reading →
(English) 서울 (2016년 1월29일)-공식방한을 초청해 주신 대한민국 정부에 감사드립니다. 이번 한국 방문이 특별보고관으로서 저의 첫번째 공식 아시아 방문이기도 합니다. 또한 한국 정부가 현재 구금 상태인 한상균 민주노총 위원장과의 면담을 포함하여 이번 방한 조사를 위해 큰 협조를 해 주신데 대해서도 감사드립니다. 저는 행정, 입법, 사법부 인사들을 만나뵙고 정보를 얻을 수 있었습니다. 일일이 열거하기가 힘들 정도로 많은 공무원들을 만났습니다. 비록 제가 수 차례 요청했던 정치 지도자들과의 면담은 실현되지 못했지만 만나 뵈었던 공무원들께서 많은 정보를 주시고 지원을 해 주신데 대하여 깊이 감사드립니다. 또한 다양한 시각을 가진 활동가들도 만났고 다수의 시위현장을 방문했으며 세월호 침몰로 아이를 잃은 가족들도 만나고, 안산, 경주, 포항을 방문했습니다. 이를 통해 한국의 시민사회와 민주주의의 역동성을 직접 체험할 수 있었습니다. 저는 서로 단결하여 거리 또는 권력의 중심지로 나아가 자신의 생각을 피력하고 변화를 이끌어내고자 하는 적극적이고 활기... Continue reading →
(한국어) SEOUL – I would like to thank the Government of the Republic of Korea for inviting me to undertake this official mission here from 20 to 29 January 2016, my first to Asia. I would also like to thank the Government for its excellent cooperation in organizing the mission, including the visit with KCTU president Mr. Han Sang-gyun in prison. I have had informative exchanges with the members of the executive, legislative and judicial branches, and met with a list of officials too long to list here. Their input and assistance was much appreciated even though I did not meet with any of the political leaders of government despite my repeated requests. I also met with activists representing different perspectives, observed a number of protests, talked with families who lost their children in the Sewol ferry tragedy, and more. I travelled to Ansan, Sejong, Gyeongju, and Pohang. These experiences allowed me to witness firsthand the vibrancy of this country’s civil society and democracy. I am impressed by the boisterous and energetic tradition of people joining together and taking to the streets or the halls of power to speak their mind and effect change. Some view this tradition as a bit rowdy, but civil society’s heart beats loudly in South Korea, something that all democracies should... Continue reading →
(English) 제네바 —UN 평화적 집회와 결사의 자유 특별보고관 마이나 키아이(이하 “특별보고관”)가 1월 20일부터 29일까지 방한한다. 방한 기간 동안 평화적 집회와 결사의 권리가 대한민국 내에서 어느정도 수준으로 향유되는지 면밀하게 평가할 예정이다. 특별보고관은UN 인권이사회로부터 전세계 평화적 집회와 결사의 자유권 실현을 모니터링하고 독려하는 임무를 부여받은 독립적 전문가이다. 평화적 집회와 결사의 자유 특별보고관으로는 정보 수집을 목적으로 대한민국에 처음 방문한다. 이번 방한은 대한민국 정부 초청으로 이루어진다. “인권이사회는 평화적 집회와 결사의 자유 권리가 민주주의의 핵심 요소라 인식하며, 회원국으로 하여금 개개인의 평화적 집회 및 결사의 자유 권리를 존중하고 전적으로 보호할 수 있도록 촉구한다. 이번 방한은 이런 관점에서 여러차례 인권을 향한 의지를 표명해온 국가에서 직접 정보를 수집할 기회이다." 고 특별보고관은 발했다. 특별보고관은 9일 간의 일정동안 서울, 안산, 경주 및 포항을 방문하며 정부관계자, 사법부 및 입법부 관계자, ... Continue reading →
(한국어) GENEVA – United Nations Special Rapporteur Maina Kiai will visit the Republic of Korea from 20 to 29 January 2016 to assess in-depth to what extend the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association are enjoyed in the country. Mr. Kiai’s visit will be the first information-gathering mission to the Republic of Korea by an independent expert mandated by the UN Human Rights Council to monitor and promote the realization of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association worldwide. It will take place at the invitation of the Government. “The Human Rights Council has recognized both rights as essential components of democracy, and called on States to respect and fully protect the rights of all individuals to assemble peacefully and associate freely,” the expert said. “This visit will give me an opportunity to gather first-hand information in that regard in a country that has voiced its commitment to human rights on repeated occasions.” During his nine-day visit, the Special Rapporteur will travel to Seoul, Ansan, Gyeongju and Pohang. He will meet with State officials, members of the judiciary and of Parliament, as well as representatives of the National Human Rights Institute, the civil society, and the diplomatic community. He also hopes to meet with... Continue reading →
