By Christine Khamis

Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

  

PYONGYANG, North Korea –

North Korea has sentenced Otto Warmbier, an American college student, to 15 years of hard labor for his alleged removal of a political sign in a hotel. Mr. Warmbier, a student at the University of Virginina, had traveled to Pyongyang on trip with Young Pioneer tours, a company conducting trips from China to North Korea and was arrested in early January.

State-run media sources have reported that North Korea’s highest court has convicted Mr. Warmbier of subversion. Mr. Warmbier was charged with committing a hostile act against North Korea, and authorities claim that he was encouraged to commit such an act by a member in his Ohio-based church. During court proceedings earlier this week, officials submitted fingerprints and surveillance photos connecting Mr. Warmbier to the alleged hostile acts.

During a press conference last month, Mr. Warmbier admitted that he had attempted to take a banner containing a political slogan from his hotel in Pyongyang. According to official reports, Mr. Warmbier took a sign bearing the name of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un or Kim Jong-un’s father or grandfather.

Mr. Warmbier also issued a public apology in addition to his confession. It is not known at this time whether Mr. Warmbier was under duress at the time of his statement.

U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner says that the sentence given Mr. Warmbier is “unduly harsh” and calls for his release. Mr. Warmbier’s sentence comes amidst increasing tensions between North Korea and the United States due to North Korea’s recent nuclear weapons and missile testing.

Some U.S. officials and analysts believe that North Korea seeks to use Mr. Warmbier, among other detained American citizens, as political pawns. Mr. Warmbier is currently one of three North American detainees in North Korea. Because the United States has no embassy in Pyongyang, Sweden carries out consular relations on behalf of American citizens in North Korea.

 

For more information, please see:

The New York Times – U.S. Student Runs Afoul of North Korea’s Devotion to Slogans – 17 March 2016

CNN – North Korea Sentences U.S. Student to 15 Years Hard Labor – 16 March 2016

The New York Times – North Korea Sentences Otto Warmbier, U.S. Student, to 15 Years’ Labor – 16 March 2016

NPR – N. Korea Sentences American Student To 15 Years Of Prison, Hard Labor – 16 March 2016