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Human Rights Violations: Violence by a Prison Officer [2007] KRNHRC 22 (1 March 2007)

In March 2007, citizen "Park (55-year-old man)" filed a complaint with the Commission
that his son was assaulted by a prison officer. When he visited his son in "I" Prison in
February 2007, Park saw his son's face swollen and his son said that he was assaulted by a
prison officer.

In response to the claim of Park, the prison officer said, "I did not hit him. I just held his
neck and touched his cheek and back in order to restrain him from going mad."
After investigation, the Commission confirmed that the respondent admitted that he
assaulted the son of the complainant (victim) later. In It also found that the respondent hit
once the left back and cheek of the victim, using his right hand, using CCTV record, which
clearly showed the victim escaping and asking for help after being assaulted, the
respondent chasing the victim, and the pose of the victim right after being hit.
On-site Investigation in A Prison, August 28, 2007

The Commission ruled that it was not appropriate for the respondent to assault an
inmate, because the respondent had a duty to enforce the law, and that the respondent
violated Article 1.3 of the Penal Execution Act (Respect for Basic Human Rights), Article
4 of the Prison Security Duty Regulations (515th Directive of the Ministry of Justice), and
Article 12 of the Constitution (Personal Freedom). It recommended "I" Prison to take a
disciplinary action against the respondent.