Progressive reverend detained for violating surveillance act

Posted on : 2014-08-27 16:07 KST Modified on : 2019-10-19 20:29 KST
After being released from prison, Rev. Han Sang-ryeol has refused to keep police informed of his whereabouts and other vital info

By Park Im-keun, North Jeolla correspondent

On Aug. 25, Rev. Han Sang-ryeol, 64, senior advisor to the Korea Alliance of Progressive Movements (KAPM), was arrested by police on charges of violating the Security Surveillance Act, provoking a backlash from civic groups.

The North Jeolla Province Alliance for Peace and Human Rights and 21 other civic organization and advocacy groups in North Jeolla Province called for Han’s release on Aug. 26.

“The Security Surveillance Act is an unjust law that infringes on ideology and conscience by requiring individuals to report their main activities to the police every three months. Even though Rev. Han Seong-ryeol made it clear that he could not abide by the Security Surveillance Act since he had lived a life as a peace activist by resisting unfair laws, the police took out a warrant for his arrest and forcibly detained him. This angers us,” the groups said in a statement.

“This appears to be an effort to foment a panic about security issues in order to calm public demands for the legislation of the special Sewol Law. We will remain in solidarity with Rev. Han until the unjust surveillance act is repealed,” the groups said.

On Aug. 25 at 10:40 pm, the Wansan Police Department in Jeonju served the warrant for the Rev. Han’s arrest. Han, who is subject to security surveillance, violated the Security Surveillance Act by refusing to report his whereabouts.

Since his release from prison in Aug. 2013 after serving a sentence for violating the National Security Law, Rev. Han has refused to report his location as the Security Surveillance Act demands. According to the act, those who receive a sentence of imprisonment or higher under the National Security Law and whose combined prison sentence is three years or more are defined as being subject to security surveillance. Such individuals are required to report their residence, name, family members, friends, and contact information to the head of the responsible police station within seven days of being released from prison. They must also report their activities and any trips they have taken every three months.

Rev. Han is exercising his right to remain silent, sources say. “We arrested Rev. Han because he refused to fulfill his duty to report even after we asked him to visit the station on several occasions. We will consult with the prosecutors about whether to request warrant for detention,” a police officer said.

 

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