Annual Report 2013
3. Highlights of Opinions2)
A. Opinion on Improving the Provisionson the Prohibition of Excessive
Group Activities in Detention Areas for HIV Patients
The NHRCK received many complaints with regard to the treatment
of HIV patients detained in facilities. The Commission could not help
but dismiss or reject individual complaints according to the result of
examining the requirements of complaints or investigations results in
accordance
with
the
provisions
of
the
National
Human
Rights
Commission Act. It found, however, that institutional or practical
improvement should be made in this regard.
The Commission, therefore, informed the Minister of Justice that
excessive prohibition of HIV patients, in case they do not adversely
affect their own and others' health and safe life in detention areas, may
fall into the sources of discrimination. Accordingly, it expressed its
opinion, on January 16, 2013, that the Ministry should revise Article
15 of the Guidelines on the Medical Management of Detainees.
B. Opinion on the Standards on Voting Age
The NHRCK expressed its opinion to the Speaker of the National
Assembly with regard to the standards on voting age. In detail, the
Commission asked the Speaker to review the lowering of voting age as
prescribed in Article 15 of the Public Official Election Act, Article 5 of the
2) For detailed opinions, see respective sections: North Korean human rights (4.1); human rights
in business practices (4.2); and information and communications technologies and human rights
(4.3).
62 ▪▪▪ Part
II. Major Activities of the Commission