North Korea's most brutal executions - from victims beaten with hammer to pregnant woman shot

Harrowing details have emerged of the extreme punishments carried out in North Korea, including prisoners beaten to death with a hammer and a pregnant woman being shot . A new report by Transitional Justice Working Group maps executions across the country and reveals how killings surged during the Covid pandemic. The report analysed 144 known cases of executions and death sentencings, involving hundreds of people in total. In some of the most shocking cases, inmates were killed in secret 'indoor executions' using blunt weapons, while defectors said they witnessed the shooting of minors despite official claims such punishments are banned. Of the 111 executions where methods were known, the vast majority were carried out by firing squad, with rifles or machine guns used in 107 cases. But the report also documented rare and particularly brutal killings, including two executions using blunt instruments such as an iron mace and a hammer in so-called 'indoor' or non-public executions. Defectors also reported witnessing the execution of pregnant women and even minors, despite Pyongyang's claims such punishments are banned. Where did the killings take place? Images included in the report reveal the scale of the killings, showing suspected execution sites across North Korea including firing ranges near airports, football pitches and also in remote fields in some cases crowds even gathered to watch. Nearly three-quarters of the executions were carried out in public. According to the report the top five localities by number of documented executions were 1. Hyesan City, Ryanggang Province with 23 executions (20.7%) 2. Pyongyang (province-level city) with 22 executions (19.8%) 3. Chongjin City, North Hamgyong Province with 17 executions(15.3%) 4. Hamhung City, South Hamgyong Province with 5 executions (4.5%) 5. Hoeryong City, North Hamgyong Province with 5 executions (4.5%) What methods were used? Of the 111 executions where the execution methods were known: • Executions using firearms such as rifles and machine guns were typicalwith 107 cases (96.4%) followed by two cases of executions each byhanging and by the use of blunt instruments. • The two hangings, which occurred in Musan County, North HamgyongProvince in 2012 and in Chongjin City, North Hamgyong Province in2014, were Type 1-A (public executions where the masses are mobilizedto observe). • The two blunt-force executions, one using an iron mace in 2012 and theother a hammer in 2020, were both Type 2 (non-public executions) andwere reported by North Korea–focused media. An increase in captial punishment Since the COVID-19 pandemic capital punishment for offences such as consuming South Korean movies, dramas and music has increased, the report said. Death penalty cases related to foreign culture, religion and 'superstition' jumped by 250 percent after the border closure. You can read the report in full by clicking here.