A/HRC/4/15 page 15 43. On 4 January 2006, the Government of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea replied to the communication. In its reply, the Government rejected the content of the communication and reiterated its position that it does not recognize the mandate of the Special Rapporteur regarding human rights issues. 44. On 24 March 2006, a communication was sent to the Government of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea jointly with the Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children, the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences, and the Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography in connection with the forced repatriation of a female national of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea by a neighbouring country on 28 February 2006. The woman and her 1-year-old daughter were sold to a national of a neighbouring country, whom she was forced to marry. The woman gave birth to a second daughter soon thereafter. Concern was expressed that the woman might face harsh punishment since she had already been deported on two previous occasions, but managed each time to return to her children in the neighbouring country. The Special Rapporteurs appealed to the Government of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to guarantee its citizens the human right to leave their own country. They furthermore urged the Government to treat all persons deprived of their liberty with humanity and with respect for the inherent dignity of the human person. 45. On 12 April 2006, the Government of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea replied to the communication. In the reply, the Government rejected the content of the communication and reiterated its position that it does not recognize the mandate of the Special Rapporteur. 46. On 26 April 2006, a communication was sent to the Government of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea jointly with the Chairperson-Rapporteur of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, and the Special Rapporteur on the question of torture. The communication raised the case of a male national of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea who was being held in a critical health condition after he was reportedly tortured. The authors appealed to the Government to take all necessary measures to guarantee his right not to be deprived arbitrarily of his liberty and to fair proceedings before an independent and impartial tribunal, and furthermore urged the Government to suspend the sentence of capital punishment pronounced against him until all allegations relating to the absence of trial and the recourse to torture had been thoroughly investigated. 47. On 5 May 2006, the Government of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea replied to the communication, rejecting the content of the communication. The Government reiterated its position that it does not recognize the mandate of the Special Rapporteur. 48. On 18 August 2006, the Special Rapporteur sent a communication to the Government of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea concerning the case of a male national of the Republic of Korea who had reportedly been abducted by a patrol boat of the Government of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea with 11 other crewmen of a fishing boat in June 1987. He reportedly attempted to escape the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea three times and was consequently detained despite several requests to return to his country. The Special Rapporteur appealed to the Government not to detain, torture or otherwise punish a national of the Republic of Korea for exercising his right to return to his country.