A toddler has been reportedly sentenced to life imprisonment in North Korea over possession of the Holy Bible.
OsunDaily News learnt that the two-year-old boy and his entire family were initially arrested and locked up after the discovery of the Christian Holy book in their home.
The United States (US) Department’s International Religious Freedom Report highlighted similar cases of North Korean citizens being killed for practising their Christian faith.
In its recent publication, the US organization also noted the case of a woman and her grandchild who were executed by firing squad in 2011.
OsunDaily News understands that another pattern of punishments meted out on Christian believers in the country, as indicated in the report, includes “pigeon torture”, where those arrested are suspended with their hands tied behind their backs, unable to sit or stand for days on end.
“It was the most painful of all tortures. It was so painful, I felt it was better to die,” one of the victims was quoted saying.
The publication also revealed that some were been tortured with sleep deprivation, including one woman in solitary confinement who was driven to suicide in 2020 after prison guards refused to let her sleep.
Records have it that no fewer than 70,000 Christians have been imprisoned for their faith under President Kim Jong-un’s regime, out of a possible population of 400,000.
The new publication said several North Korean Christians hid their faith from their children.
