A/HRC/22/57 24. In 2009, the Special Rapporteur highlighted that although torture is prohibited by law, it is extensively practised in the Democratic People‟s Republic of Korea.31 He quoted from the White Paper on Human Rights in North Korea, a document 32 produced by the Korean Bar Association that documents violations, including cases of torture practised against women who are returned to the Democratic People‟s Republic of Korea: “Female repatriates suffer what is called „pumping‟ torture, which is a common sexual torture to find money hidden inside a woman‟s vagina. Women who face this torture are stripped of their clothing, and their arms are tied behind their backs. Then they squat and stand repeatedly until they lose consciousness. It maximizes the sense of shame in women … Assault against pregnant women is also routinized, and wrapping the forcibly aborted baby‟s face with plastic to [induce] death is known [in] frequent occurrences.” 33 25. In 2011, in his report to the Human Rights Council 34, the Special Rapporteur analysed the situation of human rights in detention and correctional facilities. He noted he had learned from various sources that human rights violations are committed in all correctional centres: “Correctional officers sometimes beat inmates, but it is understood that more often it is the inmates who would beat up other inmates upon instruction from the officers.”35 26. While in Japan on 25-28 January 2011 and the Republic of Korea on 22-26 November 2010, the Special Rapporteur heard some graphic stories of the conditions and treatment of the detainees in various camps in the Democratic People‟s Republic of Korea. He noted that “some of the most flagrant human rights violations, such as torture and detention without due process of law, are reported to be perpetrated in these camps.” 36 27. The Secretary-General noted in 2012 that some reports also indicate the existence of prison camps where torture and execution are widespread. 37 28. A joint urgent appeal was sent on 24 February 2012 by the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions and the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, raising concerns about the arrest of a group of 31 citizens of the Democratic People‟s Republic of Korea in a neighbouring country and fears regarding their possible refoulement to the Democratic People‟s Republic of Korea. It had been alleged that, if repatriated, the individuals would be subjected to detention, torture and execution as illegal border crossers.38 Recommendations on torture and inhuman treatment 29. During the Universal Periodic Review of the Democratic People‟s Republic of Korea in December 2009, several Member States recommended that the Government of the ratify the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and its Optional Protocol.39 Moreover, in several of his reports, the Special 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 A/HRC/10/18, para 24 Kim Tae-Hoon, “Human rights for the socially marginalized class”, in White Paper on Human Rights in North Korea, Korean Bar Association, p. 431 A/64/224, para 58 A/HRC/16/58 A/HRC/16/58, para 53 A/HRC/16/58. para 56 A/67/362, para 14 A/67/362, para 25 See for example A/65/391, para 43; and Universal Periodic Review documents [http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/UPR/Pages/KPSession6.aspx] 17