Hye-jin Kim sentenced to 2 years in prison
On 8 September 2016, the Appeal Court confirmed the Seoul District Court's first decision, which indicted human rights defenders Mr. Lae-goon Park and Hye-jin Kim, in relation to their participation to a series of protests in solidarity with the Sewol ferry tragedy victims. On 22 January 2016, the court sentenced Mr. Lae-goon Park to three years in prison, with four years of probation and 160 hours of community service, and Ms. Hye-jin Kim to two years in prison, with three years of probation and 120 hours of community service. The human rights defenders were not detained after the trial and will make an appeal to the Supreme court.
Ms. Hye-jin Kim is a South-Korean human rights defender who has taken part in the Sewol ferry disaster protests. The Sewol ferry sunk on 16 April 2014, killing more than 300 people. Following the incident, victims' families, civil society organisations and human rights defenders called the government to establish an independent and transparent investigatory committee, to look into the lack of effectiveness of the rescue operation and the false reports regarding the incident.
On 8 September 2016, the Appeal Court confirmed the Seoul District Court's first decision, which indicted human rights defenders Mr. Lae-goon Park and Hye-jin Kim, in relation to their participation to a series of protests in solidarity with the Sewol ferry tragedy victims. On 22 January 2016, the court sentenced Mr. Lae-goon Park to three years in prison, with four years of probation and 160 hours of community service, and Ms. Hye-jin Kim to two years in prison, with three years of probation and 120 hours of community service. The human rights defenders were not detained after the trial and will make an appeal to the Supreme court.
On 22 January 2016, the Seoul District Court indicted human rights defenders Ms. Hye-jin Kim and Mr. Lae-goon Park, in relation to their participation to a series of protests in solidarity with the Sewol ferry tragedy victims.
The court sentenced Mr. Lae-goon Park to three years in prison, with four years of probation and 160 hours of community service, while Ms. Hye-jin Kim was sentenced to two years in prison with three years of probation and 120 hours of community service. The human rights defenders' lawyers will appeal against the court's decision.
South Korean police arrested and detained Lae-goon Park on 17 July 2015. The prosecutor's office had requested a detention warrant also for Ms Hye-jin Kim, but the Court issued a detention order only for Mr Park. Both human rights defenders were taking part in protests in relation to the Sewol ferry disaster.
The Sewol ferry sunk on 16 April 2014, killing more than 300 people. Following the incident, victims' families, civil society organisations and human rights defenders called the government to establish an independent and transparent investigatory committee, to look into the lack of effectiveness of the rescue operation and the false reports regarding the incident.
In November 2014 the government adopted the Special Law for Seeking Truth of the Sewol Ferry Disaster and Establishing Safer Society (Sewol Special Law), as requested by the victims' families and civil society organisations. However, in March 2015 the Ministry of Ocean and Fisheries announced an enforcement ordinance that negates the enforcement of the Sewol Special Law. This sparked a series of protests and since April 2015 South Korean authorities have detained seven human rights defenders for their participation in demonstrations related to the Sewol Ferry disaster.
