UN panel calls for North Korea referral to international court
21 Nov 2014 4:40 AM IST
The UN General Assembly committee dealing with human rights on Tuesday called for the UN Security Council to consider referring North Korea to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged crimes against humanity.
The vote followed a UN Commission of Inquiry report published in February detailing wide-ranging abuses in North Korea, including prison camps, systematic torture, starvation and killings comparable to Nazi-era atrocities. The resolution passed by the UN Third Committee linked the alleged abuses to the policies of North Korea’s leadership and called on the Security Council to consider targeted sanctions against those responsible.
The vote increases political pressure on North Korea but it is largely symbolic. It is unlikely to lead to action in the International Criminal Court at The Hague, which looks at serious abuses like genocide and other crimes against humanity.Diplomats said N Korea ally China would probably use its Security Council veto power to stop any ICC referral. They said Beijing’s stance would likely be supported by Russia. China and Russia backed an amendment to the resolution by Cuba, which was voted down, to remove the call to refer North Korea to the ICC.
The vote followed a UN Commission of Inquiry report published in February detailing wide-ranging abuses in North Korea, including prison camps, systematic torture, starvation and killings comparable to Nazi-era atrocities. The resolution passed by the UN Third Committee linked the alleged abuses to the policies of North Korea’s leadership and called on the Security Council to consider targeted sanctions against those responsible.
The vote increases political pressure on North Korea but it is largely symbolic. It is unlikely to lead to action in the International Criminal Court at The Hague, which looks at serious abuses like genocide and other crimes against humanity.Diplomats said N Korea ally China would probably use its Security Council veto power to stop any ICC referral. They said Beijing’s stance would likely be supported by Russia. China and Russia backed an amendment to the resolution by Cuba, which was voted down, to remove the call to refer North Korea to the ICC.
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