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| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| N Korea sentences Canada pastor to life in jail | N Korea sentences Canada pastor to life in jail |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| North Korea's highest court has sentenced a Canadian Christian pastor to a life term of hard labour for "crimes against the state". | North Korea's highest court has sentenced a Canadian Christian pastor to a life term of hard labour for "crimes against the state". |
| Hyeon Soo Lim, 60, was arrested in the capital Pyongyang after he travelled there in January for humanitarian work. | Hyeon Soo Lim, 60, was arrested in the capital Pyongyang after he travelled there in January for humanitarian work. |
| The Toronto-based pastor, who is of South Korean origin, was shown at a news conference earlier confessing to a plot to overthrow the government and set up a "religious state". | The Toronto-based pastor, who is of South Korean origin, was shown at a news conference earlier confessing to a plot to overthrow the government and set up a "religious state". |
| North Korea bans religious activity. | North Korea bans religious activity. |
| The authorities periodically detain foreigners for religious or missionary activity and similar cases have seen staged public confessions from prisoners. | The authorities periodically detain foreigners for religious or missionary activity and similar cases have seen staged public confessions from prisoners. |
| Canada's foreign ministry said in a statement it was "dismayed at the unduly harsh sentence... particularly given his age and fragile health." It added that Canadian officials were seeking access to Mr Lim. | |
| Handcuffs | Handcuffs |
| Mr Lim was sentenced after a 90-minute trial at the North Korean Supreme Court. | Mr Lim was sentenced after a 90-minute trial at the North Korean Supreme Court. |
| He was convicted of joining the US and South Korea in an anti-North Korea human rights "racket" and fabricating and circulating false propaganda materials tarnishing the country's image. | He was convicted of joining the US and South Korea in an anti-North Korea human rights "racket" and fabricating and circulating false propaganda materials tarnishing the country's image. |
| He was also accused of funding and helping "defectors" to escape, in some cases through Mongolia. | He was also accused of funding and helping "defectors" to escape, in some cases through Mongolia. |
| The pastor entered and left the court in handcuffs flanked by two public security officers in uniform, the Associated Press news agency reports. | The pastor entered and left the court in handcuffs flanked by two public security officers in uniform, the Associated Press news agency reports. |
| Foreigners detained in North Korea | Foreigners detained in North Korea |
| Recent cases (all American) include: | Recent cases (all American) include: |
| The handcuffs were removed in court during the trial, it adds. The pastor kept his head bowed most of the time and answered questions in a subdued tone. | The handcuffs were removed in court during the trial, it adds. The pastor kept his head bowed most of the time and answered questions in a subdued tone. |
| Mr Lim and his colleagues travelled to Pyongyang on 31 January as part of a humanitarian mission. His family said it was to support a nursing home, nursery and orphanage. | Mr Lim and his colleagues travelled to Pyongyang on 31 January as part of a humanitarian mission. His family said it was to support a nursing home, nursery and orphanage. |
| Mr Lim, who heads the Light Korean Presbyterian Church, had made numerous humanitarian aid missions to North Korea for nearly two decades, the Church said. | Mr Lim, who heads the Light Korean Presbyterian Church, had made numerous humanitarian aid missions to North Korea for nearly two decades, the Church said. |
| He was detained in February and in July a KCNA report said Mr Lim had given a press conference in Pyongyang where he admitted to using humanitarian work as a "guise" for "subversive plots and activities in a sinister bid to build a religious state". | He was detained in February and in July a KCNA report said Mr Lim had given a press conference in Pyongyang where he admitted to using humanitarian work as a "guise" for "subversive plots and activities in a sinister bid to build a religious state". |
| He also reportedly admitted to giving lectures that "North Korea should be collapsed with the love of 'God'", and to helping the US and South Korea to aid North Korean defectors. | He also reportedly admitted to giving lectures that "North Korea should be collapsed with the love of 'God'", and to helping the US and South Korea to aid North Korean defectors. |