South Korea: Health fears for detained woman with cancer: Kim Hye-young
A woman in South Korea with thyroid cancer has developed mental health problems while in detention, after the authorities failed to give her appropriate dosages of medication. Kim Hye-young is not receiving adequate treatment, but the authorities have not allowed her to be treated outside the detention facility. Kim Hye-young was detained after taking part in a peaceful demonstration in Seoul.
UA: 2/16 Index: ASA 25/3154/2016 South Korea Date: 7 January 2016
URGENT ACTION
HEALTH FEARS FOR DETAINED WOMAN WITH CANCER
A woman in South Korea with thyroid cancer has developed mental health problems
while in detention, after the authorities failed to give her appropriate dosages of
medication. Kim Hye-young is not receiving adequate treatment, but the authorities have
not allowed her to be treated outside the detention facility. Kim Hye-young was detained
after taking part in a peaceful demonstration in Seoul.
Kim Hye-young was arrested in Seoul on 26 July 2015 after joining a sit-in demonstration. She has been charged
under the National Security Law, which is increasingly being used by the authorities to undermine the right to
freedom of expression, opinion or association, especially of people and groups that advocate reunification of North
and South Korea. Kim Hye-young is one of four members of the Corean Alliance for an Independent Reunification
and Democracy (CAIRD) who have been arrested under similar charges and are now undergoing trial.
Kim Hye-young had been suffering from thyroid cancer prior to her arrest. After having her thyroid glands removed
through surgery, she now needs regular replacement hormone drugs. Kim Hye-young first missed her doses due to
a ten-day hunger strike after her arrest, and was subsequently given overly high doses of drugs by staff at the
detention facility, without regular attendance by medical professionals.
Kim Hye-young now suffers from symptoms such as palpitations, suffocation, nausea and tingling sensation, which
are known side effects of the hormonal drugs when given in high quantities. A psychiatrist’s report said that it is
beyond the capacity of the detention facility to give her the necessary care, and that she requires outpatient
treatment, including psychological counselling which must be conducted without the direct supervision of staff from
the detention facility.
The Ministry of Justice has denied Kim Hye-young access to outpatient treatment, and is also preventing press
interviews with her and the other detained CAIRD members and any demonstrations outside the detention facility.
Please write immediately in Korean, English or your own language:
Urging the authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Kim Hye-young and other members of CAIRD,
who were only legitimately expressing their rights to the freedom of expression and peaceful assembly;
Pending her release, urging them to immediately allow Kim Hye-young access to adequate care and treatment
outside the detention facility, without unnecessary interference;
Calling on them to stop the arbitrary use of the National Security Law and ensure that freedom of expression,
opinion and association are fully respected, protected and fulfilled.
PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 18 FEBRUARY 2016 TO:
Minister of Justice
Kim Hyun-woong
Gwanmun_ro 47, Gwacheon-si,
Kyunggi-do, Republic of Korea 13809
Fax: +82-2-2110-0350
Twitter: @happymoj
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/mojkorea/
Salutation: Dear Minister
Prime Minister
Hwang Kyo-ahn
Government Complex Sejong,
261 Dasom-ro,
Sejong-si, Republic of Korea
Twitter: @PrimeMinisterKR
Salutation: Your Excellency
Also send copies to diplomatic representatives accredited to your country. Please insert local diplomatic addresses below:
Name Address 1 Address 2 Address 3 Fax Fax number Email Email address Salutation Salutation
Please check with your section office if sending appeals after the above date.
URGENT ACTION
HEALTH FEARS FOR DETAINED WOMAN WITH CANCER
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Kim Hye-young and three other members of the Corean Alliance for an Independent Reunification and Democracy (CAIRD) are
charged for violating Article 7 of the National Security Law (NSL), a vaguely-worded clause that is widely used by the South
Korean government to detain people who pose no threat to security. The clause stipulates punishment for anyone who “praises,
incites or propagates the activities of an anti-government organization…,” either as an individual or as a member of an
organization aiming at such acts. However, words such as “praise” or “incite” are not defined clearly in the law. This has
facilitated arbitrary use of the article against members of organizations such as the CAIRD, which may hold alternative views to
the government on how to approach North Korea.
The South Korean government claims that activities of CAIRD and its members have violated the NSL. The police searched the
organization’s office and the homes of some of its members on 22 December 2014, which led to a sit-in demonstration with a
few members including Kim Hye-young camping out at two sites in Seoul between 8 January and 15 July 2015. The
demonstrators were evicted from the sites and went into hiding. Eventually, Kim Hye-young and three other members were
arrested and put in detention, after an extensive search using surveillance equipment such as closed circuit televisions.
At the moment, when Kim Hye-young receives treatment from an outside medical professional, a manager in the detention
facility stays and observes throughout the whole process. Furthermore, she is not allowed to leave the detention facility to visit a
psychiatric hospital. The Administration and Treatment of Correctional Institutions Inmates Act of South Korea, however, does
contain legal provisions allowing detainees to receive medical treatment in institutions outside of correctional institutions, if
necessary for the appropriate treatment of prisoners. The same law also provides for detainees who are suspected of having a
mental illness to receive medical treatment from a specialist of mental health, under measures to be taken by the warden.
According to the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (Nelson Mandela Rules), as revised in 2015,
penal institutions must provide adequate medical care to prisoners without discrimination, including a psychiatric health service
for the diagnosis and, in proper cases, the treatment of prisoners with mental disability. Also, any prisoners who require
specialist health treatment should be transferred to specialized institutions or to civil hospitals; clinical decision may only be
taken by the responsible health-care professionals and may not be overruled or ignored by non-medical prison staff; and all
medical examinations shall be undertaken in full confidentiality.
Name: Kim Hye-young
Gender m/f: F
UA: 2/16 Index: ASA 25/3154/2016 Issue Date: 7 January 2016