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Wednesday, 10 June 2009 |
 California District 3 – Amador County Congressman Dan Lungren called North Korea’s sentencing of 2 U.S. journalists unacceptable Tuesday and called for their release. Lungren said in a release Tuesday that one of the sentenced journalists has family living in his District 3. Lungren said communications with the U.S. Department of State indicate “Laura Ling and Euna Lee were denied their fundamental rights.” Lungren said North Korea has a less than stellar record on protection of human rights, but the country “has acceded to a number of international human rights treaties, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, under which those charged with a criminal offense have certain inalienable rights.” Lungren said it appeared Lee and Ling have been denied their rights to: “be informed of the nature and cause of charges against them;” prepare their defense; “communicate with counsel of their own choosing in a language they understand;” “confront and examine the witnesses against them; and “not to be coerced into a confession.” He said Ling “was sentenced last weekend to 12 years hard labor,” and noted that she “suffers from a medical condition, which could put her life in jeopardy should she be forced to serve out this undue punishment.” To date, very little information was released “on the nature of her trial and the crimes of which she was convicted,” Lungren said, so he could “only assume that she did not have the benefit of counsel, either before or during her trial.” The North Korean government said only that they were convicted of “grave crimes,” and “observers were not permitted to attend the trial,” meaning information was “selectively filtered through the North Korean press.” NPR reported that at least one of the two women was accused of espionage. North Korea seeks to avoid sanctions for violations of international law, Lungren said, indicating the arrests make Lee and Ling “convenient political hostages.” Lungren on Tuesday joined Rep. Ed Royce “in asking President Obama to take urgent action on behalf of” Ling and Lee and “to pursue every avenue to secure their release.” He called on U.N. Human Rights Council condemnation “in the strongest terms.” Lungren requested that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton investigate to ensure that Ling and Lee’s rights as U.S. citizens are upheld. And he supported Rep. Ros-Lehtinen’s legislation making the lifting of restrictions against North Korea contingent upon their release and “safe return.” Story by Jim Reece
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 10 June 2009 )
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