UN draft resolution asks UN to refer North Korea to ICC

The European Union and Japan circulated a draft UN resolution Friday that condemns “gross” human rights violations in North Korea and encourages the UN Security Council to refer the reclusive Asian nation to the International Criminal Court.

The draft General Assembly resolution encourages the council to consider targeted sanctions against those “who appear to be most responsible” for acts that a groundbreaking UN commission of inquiry report early last year said “may constitute crimes against humanity.”

Marzuki Darusman, the special rapporteur on human rights in North Korea, put the spotlight on forced labour in North Korea as a human rights violation in a report to the General Assembly Wednesday that also cited summary executions, arbitrary detention, torture, massive ill-treatment of individuals in political prison camps and severe discrimination based on social class.

The draft resolution, obtained by The Associated Press, strongly urges the North Korean government to immediately end human rights violations, close prison camps and tackle the root causes leading to people fleeing the country.

The 193-member General Assembly is expected to vote on the resolution in December.