Human Rights Claims

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Former President Park Geun-hye’s international legal team has accused South Korean authorities of violating Park's human rights regarding her detention. The Justice Ministry has dismissed the claim. Here’s more.

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Former President Park Geun-hye's international attorneys assert that Park's human rights are being violated in her detention cell. They said that Park is detained in a cold, dirty cell, and has no access to medical treatment. Park's international attorneys led by the MH Group made these claims to CNN and said they would submit a document on her human rights situation to the United Nations Human Rights Council. The MH Group is known for handling many high-profile international cases involving human rights issues. South Korea's Justice Ministry and the Seoul Detention Center immediately rebutted the accusation as groundless. They even disclosed the facility where Park is being detained. The cell where the former president lives now has a desk, a shelf and a night lamp installed along one of the walls. On the other side of the cell there is a wash basin, a toilet, a partition and a television. There is also a folding mattress on the floor and a heating system. Moreover, Park's cell measures 12 square meters in size - five times more than other cells. The detention center said that the cell was originally intended for seven people, but was renovated specifically for Park Geun-hye. They added that the heating system has been activated for one week now due to the dropping temperatures. The authorities also said the allegation that Park could not sleep because of the night lamps is "exaggerated." Regarding the allegation that Park has no access to healthcare, the authorities said that she has received full checkups twice at a large general hospital in Seoul. The exams revealed that she had no serious health issues.