In the maximum-security camps, prisoners are deprived of their rights as North Korean citizens, but in the high-security camp, the prisoners keep their citizen’s rights. It was surveyed that the prisoners surrender their citizen’s certificate to the PPC office on arrival and get it back upon release. Some Workers’ Party members kept their party membership certificate while in PPC but others surrendered it to the authorities of the PPC. It seems that offenders are deprived of Party membership but family members are allowed to retain the membership, in which case they are allowed to keep the Party membership certificate while in PPC. The rate of deprivation of former status was high for those prisoners who had formerly been military personnel, members of the SSA and the police force, the survey found. This situation was limited to the high-security camp. On the other hand, the situation appears quite different in the maximum-security camp, in which all prisoners were deprived of their North Korean citizenship. In light of the fact that prisoners in the Yodok High-security Camp actually participated in elections, the prisoners’ rights as citizens appear not to have been totally suspended during their detention in the PPC. “When I was sent to a Control Center, no one asked me if I wished to divorce. The entire family was sent there unconditionally. On arrival at the Control Center, we were told, “This is a high-security camp and you can go home if you perform well for three years here. In the morning of the day of admission to the Control Center, we packed our provisions such as blankets and clothing, with the exception of the items belonging to the government. We were told to carry some food. I drew money from my bank account and bought dry fruit, candy and cooking oil from the shop. Because I worked at the shop, I was able to buy anything if I had money. Our cargo arrived separately. During the admission process, I was allowed to keep my Party membership card but my husband had his card confiscated. I don’t know who was allowed to keep it and who wasn’t. Eventually, I had my party membership card also confiscated but received it again when I was released. They kept my television set. They told me that I could get it back on my release. But they did not give it back to me when I was released. I participated in election while I was there. Of course, we must participate in an election.” (A05, former prisoner from Ipsok-ni, PPC No. 15, 1976~1980) “I was admitted to the Control Center as part of a group of seven. I kept my Party membership card and it was not confiscated all the time I was there. But there were many prisoners who were deprived of their Party membership cards. Of the seven prisoners detained under the same charge, some of them had their Party membership cards confiscated and others did not. I do not know what constituted the difference. Those who were deprived of their Party membership felt very depressed about it. Many former military 72