On 1 April the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) adopted Resolution 49/22 on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). The HRC adopted this annual resolution on the DPRK by consensus, reiterating deep concern about the systematic, widespread and gross human rights violations that in many instances constitutes crimes against humanity. The resolution renewed the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on DPRK and requested that the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights organize a series of consultations and outreach activities with victims, affected communities and other relevant stakeholders. The HRC also called upon all parties concerned, including UN bodies, to consider implementation of the recommendations made by the Commission of Inquiry on DPRK, which, in 2014, had established responsibility at the highest level of government for ongoing crimes against humanity. The resolution also recalled the “responsibility of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to protect its population from crimes against humanity.”
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