According to a report by the US State Department, North Korea sentenced a toddler to life in the prison camp after his parents were caught owning a bible in the home.
The report says the two-year-old boy and his parents are now facing jail time over their religious beliefs.
North Korea Sentences Toddler to Prison Camp Over Parents' Bible
This undated picture released from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on September 16, 2017 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un (C) inspecting a launching drill of the medium-and-long range strategic ballistic rocket Hwasong-12 at an undisclosed location. Kim vowed to complete North Korea's nuclear force despite sanctions, saying the final goal of his country's weapons development is "equilibrium of real force" with the United States, state media reported on September 16.
Kim vowed to complete North Korea's nuclear force despite sanctions, saying the final goal of his country's weapons development is "equilibrium of real force" with the United States, state media reported on September 16.
According to Mirror UK, the report, the State Department's annual assessment of religious freedom worldwide, sheds light on the state of religious freedom or the lack thereof in North Korea. It shows multiple cases of North Korean facing jail time, torture, and execution over their religious beliefs.
In the case of the two-year-old boy, the report said that he and his entire family were sentenced to life in prison after his parents were found with a Bible. The shocking revelation came from the International Religious Freedom Report by the US State Department.
Besides sending a toddler to the jail camp, the report exposes other torture and execution cases for North Korean Christians. In 2011, a firing squad killed a woman alongside her grandchild over their religious beliefs.
Other Christians in North Korea reportedly grappled with pigeon torture, suspended for days while their hands were tied to their backs. One of the victims in the reports says it is "better to die" as the torture is excruciatingly painful.
Mirror UK notes that roughly 70,000 Christians in North Korea faced imprisonment under the regime of dictator Kim Jong-Un. Estimates show that there are around 400,000 believers in the country.
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Why is the Bible Banned in North Korea
This undated photo released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on August 26, 2017 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un (C) presiding over a target strike exercise conducted by the special operation forces of the Korean People's Army (KPA) at an undisclosed location.
It is worth noting that North Korea's constitution ensures religious freedom in the country amongst its people, according to NBC News. To prove it, Pyongyang has built churches, Mirror UK notes. One of which is the Chilgol Protestant Church in the capital city.
But despite that, authorities continue to crack down on Christianity in the country, which is deemed a practice influenced heavily by the West. Thus, the government considers believers as a threat, NBC reports.
North Korean defectors told NBC News that the mere distribution of Bibles in the country could end up sentencing a person to a labor camp or even execution. The same goes for secret prayer services in the country.
Aside from bible distribution prohibition, Fox News reports that North Korea is throwing parents to prison for allowing their young ones to watch Hollywood films.
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