A/HRC/22/57 15. In 2010, the Special Rapporteur stressed that “the international crime that would seem to be most closely related to the happenings in the country in question is “crimes against humanity”.15 He noted, “it is clear from six years of observing the human rights situation in the Democratic People‟s Republic of Korea that the abuses against the general population for which the authorities should be responsible are both egregious and endemic”.16 16. In 2012, the Special Rapporteur stressed that “under certain circumstances, widespread or systematic imprisonment or other severe deprivation of liberty in violation of international law may constitute crimes against humanity”.17 IV. Impunity and non-cooperation with the United Nations 17. For almost a decade, the General Assembly, the Secretary-General, the former Commission on Human Rights, the Human Rights Council, the Special Rapporteur and the human rights treaty bodies have consistently and repeatedly called on the authorities of the Democratic People‟s Republic of Korea to put an end to these violations and respect the human rights of all its citizens. In 2009, the Secretary-General noted that the Government of the Democratic People‟s Republic of Korea had not taken “significant steps to address persistent reports of systematic and widespread human rights violations or to provide safeguards for human rights”. 18 18. The need for accountability has been reiterated and advanced by resolutions adopted by the United Nations, particularly those by the General Assembly. Since 2009, the General Assembly has strongly urged “the Government to address the issue of impunity and ensure that those responsible for violations of human rights are brought to justice before an independent judiciary”.19 19. Concerns about impunity have been exacerbated by intermittent cooperation of the Government of the Democratic People‟s Republic of Korea with the United Nations human rights machinery. A notable example is that, on 23 August 1997, the Government of the Democratic People‟s Republic of Korea sent the Secretary-General a notification of withdrawal from the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which the country acceded to on 14 September 1981.20 On 23 September 1997, in an aide-mémoire to the Government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the Secretary-General stated his opinion that a withdrawal from the Covenant would not appear possible unless all States Parties to the Covenant agree with such a withdrawal. 21 On 8 December 1997, the Human Rights Committee adopted the General Comment No. 26 on Continuity of Obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The Committee is firmly of the view that international law does not permit a State which has ratified or acceded or succeeded to the Covenant to denounce or withdraw from it. 22 Eventually, on 25 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 8 A/HRC/13/47, para. 60. A/HRC/13/47, para. 8. A/67/370, para. 38. A/64/319, para. 4. General Assembly resolutions 63/190, 64/175 and 66/174 United Nations Treaty Collection. See http://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV4&chapter=4&lang=en#8 The notification of withdrawal and the aide-mémoire were duly circulated to all States Parties under cover of C.N.467.1997.TREATIES-10 of 12 November 1997. CCPR/C/21/Rev.1/Add.8/Rev.1: CCPR General Comment No. 26: Continuity of Obligations adopted at the Sixty-first Session of the Human Rights Committee, on 8 December 1997