13 July 2006 :

the international conference “Promoting human rights and religious freedom in North Korea: where do we go from here?”, organised by Freedom House together with the Transnational Radical Party, was held in Rome.
"We are unprepared in the face of dictatorial regimes such as North Korea," declared Emma Bonino, Italian Minister for International Trade and European Affairs, "If we are able to support those fighting for democracy within these states we will have made substantial progress. It is a complex problem, not just a case of importing or exporting democracy".
"The North Korean regime stands out on its own for cruelty, it is not possible to categorise it in any other way", continued Bonino, "we must make known what experts and victims already know".
Amongst the participants at the event was Sohn Jong-Hoon, brother of Sohn Jong-Nam, sentenced to death and at risk of execution in North Korea. Sohn related his brother's plight following his return to North Korea after his escape to China and his conversion to Christianity.
Intent on spreading the faith in his country, Nam was found guilty of treason and sentenced to death.
"The north Korean regime is more atrocious than that of Saddam Hussein and the human rights violations go beyond our limits of imagination", Sohn said  appealing to the Italian government and to the European Union to support human rights in the country.
Capital offences in North Korea are conspiracy against the state power, high treason, terrorism, anti-national treachery, murder and drug related crimes.
North Korea said its use of the death penalty was based on “special domestic circumstances and the need to prevent crimes”. People have reportedly been condemned to death for such ‘crimes’ as “ideological divergence”, “opposing socialism”, and “counterrevolutionary crimes”.
On the basis of these crimes, political prisoners, peaceful opponents, deserters or repatriated defectors, those caught listening to foreign radio broadcasts or found in possession of so-called “reactionary” material, have been executed, stated Hands Off Cain Secretary Sergio D'Elia.
In recent years, thousands of North Korean refugees arrested in China whilst attempting to reach South Korea and Japan by boat, were forcibly repatriated to North Korea. Defectors said that refugees who are sent home to North Korea faced detention in labour camps for 'anti-state' criminal acts, and even the death penalty.