South Korea: Prisoner of conscience Lee Kun-hee

AI is calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Lee Kun-hee, a 27-year-old Democratic Party Worker who is serving a three-year prison sentence on charges under national security legislation. AI is concerned by reports that he was beaten and deprived of sleep during interrogation. Lee Kun-hee was one of 67 people arrested in September/October 1992 for their alleged links with a “spy” ring operated by the North Korean government. Around 40 of them were sentenced to prison terms ranging from one year to life. To AI’s knowledge, there is no evidence that many of them, including Lee Kun-hee, had any connection with spying activities. His arrest, along with those of scores of others, appears to have been timed to influence the outcome of the 1992 presidential election.

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