On the heels of North Korea’s local
election, the Czech Republic has criticized the isolated country’s system,
noting that it violates a litany of universal civil rights, Washington-based
Voice of America [VOA] reported.
According to the July 22nd report, the
Czech Republic’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the regional election
process in North Korea, saying that it violates the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights [UDHR] and other international agreements that stipulate civil and
political rights.
Article 25 of the international agreement
stipulates that all citizens should have the right to freely express their will
through universal suffrage and a secret ballot system; while North Korea
ratified this agreement, there is much skepticism as to how strictly it abides
by it.
During the local elections, held in North
Korea on the 19th of this month, the authorities reported a 100% approval rate
for candidates and a 99.97% voter turnout. However, candidates in North Korea
run unopposed and residents are subjugated to crackdowns or worse for failure
to show up and vote, let alone registering rejection– for which a box does
exist, but is flanked by surveillance officials from various security organs in a separate
portion of the voting area.
A former Cold War socialist state holding
amicable relations with North Korea, the Czech Republic has changed its
attitudes on North Korea drastically since the former’s transition to a
democratic state, voicing criticism and calling on the North to abide by
international regulations.
Meanwhile, the Czech Republic’s Ministry of Foreign
Affairs stated last October to VOA that those responsible for perpetrating
human rights abuses in North Korea must be brought to justice. The following
February, the nation raised North Korea’s human rights issues with Kim Pyong Il,
Kim Jong Il’s half brother and the ambassador of North Korea to the Czech
Republic.
