The U.N. special envoy for North Korean human rights has called for a “victim-centered approach” to supporting those who have suffered under the DPRK regime, emphasizing that governments should make efforts to secure reparations for victims regardless of whether it’s possible to hold perpetrators accountable.

Special rapporteur Elizabeth Salmon lays out the argument and details ongoing abuses in the DPRK, ranging from enforced disappearances to pervasive restrictions on citizens’ freedom, in an advance unedited copy of her annual report to the U.N. General Assembly.

“States are encouraged to adopt a victim-centered approach to advance programs that contribute to repairing victims