A/HRC/25/63 I. Introduction 1. In its resolution 22/13, adopted on 21 March 2013, the Human Rights Council established the commission of inquiry on human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. In resolution 22/13, the Council mandated the commission to investigate the systematic, widespread and grave violations of human rights in the State, with a view to ensuring full accountability, in particular, for violations that may amount to crimes against humanity. 2. On 7 May 2013, the President of the Human Rights Council announced the appointment of Michael Kirby (Australia) and Sonja Biserko (Serbia), who joined the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Marzuki Darusman (Indonesia) to serve as the members of the commission of inquiry. Mr. Kirby was designated to serve as Chair. The commission implemented the mandate entrusted by the States Members of the Human Rights Council, bearing in mind the decision of the Council to transmit the reports of the commission to all relevant bodies of the United Nations and to the Secretary-General for appropriate action. II. Mandate and methodology1 3. The mandate of the commission of inquiry is described in paragraph 5 of Human Rights Council resolution 22/13, in which the Council made specific reference to paragraph 31 of the 2013 report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.2 Reading the two paragraphs together, the commission determined that it had been mandated to investigate the systematic, widespread and grave violations of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea including, in particular, the following nine specific substantive areas: • Violations of the right to food • The full range of violations associated with prison camps • Torture and inhuman treatment • Arbitrary arrest and detention • Discrimination, in particular in the systemic denial and violation of basic human rights and fundamental freedoms • Violations of the freedom of expression • Violations of the right to life • Violations of the freedom of movement • Enforced disappearances, including in the form of abductions of nationals of other States 4. The above list is not exhaustive. Where appropriate, the commission also investigated violations intrinsically linked to one of the nine areas. 1 2 For further information on the interpretation of the mandate and the Commission’s methods of work, see A/HRC/25/CRP.1, sect. II. A/HRC/22/57. 3