Rights violated during mad cow riot suppression: watchdog

SEOUL, Oct. 27 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's human rights commission concluded Monday
that police had earlier this year used excessive force in controlling riots over
the resumption of U.S. beef imports, and recommended the home affairs ministry to
issue warnings and reprimand concerned officials.
"After a long review of some 130 petitions by riot participants regarding
violations of rights, we concluded that the police violated protestors' rights in
the process of controlling (the rallies)," the National Human Rights Commission
of Korea (NHRCK) said in a statement.
Activists claim many protesters were persecuted by police and related authorities
during the weeks of candlelight vigils and street marches that followed an April
decision by Seoul to lift import restrictions on U.S. beef after it was banned
due to fears stemming from reports on mad cow disease.
Thousands of people took to the streets almost daily between May and July, with
many arguing the hastily made agreement lacked proper food safety measures. Most
of the protests were peaceful, but some occasionally turned violent.
The NHRCK also recommended that the Ministry of Public Administration and
Security, which oversees police operations, issue a disciplinary warning to the
National Police Agency chief and reprimand the head of the riot police division
and one of his junior commanders for "violating the rights of the rally
participants."
The watchdog initiated its human rights probe involving that matter in early July
after receiving more than 130 appeals from rally participants who claimed their
rights were infringed upon by riot police force.
The announcement follows three separate deliberations held since September by the
agency's 11-member decision-making committee.
odissy@yna.co.kr
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