vrijdag, mei 23, 2003
A freelance photographer arrested during an attempted boatlift of North Korean refugees was found guilty Thursday by a court in Yantai, China. Seok Jae-hyun (34), a freelance photographer for The New York Times, was charged with being an organizer of an illegal border crossing of North Koreans in China. Following the verdict, Seok was given a two-year sentence. The criminal court also decided to have his photography equipment confiscated.
The photographer's Korean lawyer, Song Sung-chul, stated that Seok's two-year sentence was the minimum amount for trafficking charges, according to Chinese criminal law. Seok's wife, Kang Hae-won, who is currently in Yantai, is seeking a retrial for her husband.
On January 18, Seok, who was on assignment, and the others in the group were arrested in the port town of Yantai, before reaching the boats that would take the North Korean refugees to Japan and Korea. The North Koreans were repatriated, while Seok and the others have remained in Chinese prison. Human rights groups and journalist groups, such as Reporters Without Borders, have called upon the Chinese government to release Seok, on the grounds of human rights violations.
Bron: Korea Herald.
The photographer's Korean lawyer, Song Sung-chul, stated that Seok's two-year sentence was the minimum amount for trafficking charges, according to Chinese criminal law. Seok's wife, Kang Hae-won, who is currently in Yantai, is seeking a retrial for her husband.
On January 18, Seok, who was on assignment, and the others in the group were arrested in the port town of Yantai, before reaching the boats that would take the North Korean refugees to Japan and Korea. The North Koreans were repatriated, while Seok and the others have remained in Chinese prison. Human rights groups and journalist groups, such as Reporters Without Borders, have called upon the Chinese government to release Seok, on the grounds of human rights violations.
Bron: Korea Herald.
# posted by Jan-Edward : 16:19
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