IRELAND ON DPRK UNIVERSAL PERIODIC REVIEW SESSION

C O N F I D E N T I A L DUBLIN 000522 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/03/2019 TAGS: PHUM PREL SOCI UNGA EI SUBJECT: IRELAND ON DPRK UNIVERSAL PERIODIC REVIEW SESSION REF: STATE 123209 Classified By: Political Officer Todd Huizinga. Reasons 1.4(b/d). ¶1. (C) On December 2, Poloff discussed reftel points with Isolde Moylan, Director of the Asia and Oceania Bureau in the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA),and Peter McIvor, the Bureau's Deputy Director. They said DPRK was one of their Bureau's priorities, and expressed their appreciation that the USG was seeking to collaborate with them. They said Ireland had turned in written questions in preparation for the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Session on freedom of religion and right to life, liberty and security of the person. Oral statements were being prepared on those same topics, but they said they would circulate reftel recommendations within both the DFA and the Irish Mission in Geneva and seek to incorporate language supporting those recommendations. Moylan said that UPR preparations had been coordinated within the EU to avoid duplication and cover as many as possible of the areas needing coverage regarding the human rights situation in the DPRK; thusQorced labor and the status of women, as in reftel, were certain to be covered by other EU member states. ¶2. (C) Ireland's written questions, which Moylan shared with Poloff, are reproduced below: BEGIN IRISH WRITTEN QUESTIONS: "Freedom of Religion: The National Report by the DPRK states that citizens are guaranteed freedom of religious beliefs under the constitution and the report lists examples of the freedoms guaranteed. We would be grateful if a detailed account of the extent of the individual's freedom of religious worship, religious association (including access to the media) and religious formation (viz. schools, temples, seminaries, churches) within the DPRK, could be given. The Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea noted in his latest report that while some religious ceremonies seem to be allowed, there are indications that practicing religion gives rise to persecution (A.HRC/20/18). Ireland is concerned about the Concluding Observations of the Human Rights Committee that religious practice is repressed or strongly discouraged in DPRK and that the practice in DPRK in this respect does not meet the requirements of article 18 of the Covenant (CCPR/CO/72/PRK). "Right to Life, Liberty and Security of the Person: The Compilation Document prepared by OHCHR notes the continuing reports of violence committed by State authorities, such as torture and persecution of political dissidents. It speaks of abhorrent prison conditions which result in myriad abuses and deprivations; collective punishments; persecution of whole families, etc. We would be grateful if a detailed account of the extent of the individual's rights while in custody in the DPRK could be given. This should include also the rights of convicted prisoners (as opposed to those on remand). We would also be grateful to know what steps, if any, the DPRK authorities have taken to make a list of addresses of prisons in DPRK available, together with copies of reports from the DPRK prisons inspection unit." END IRISH WRITTEN QUESTIONS. ROONEY