fɹˈiːdəm hˈaʊs stˈeɪts ðˈæt, "nˈɔːɹθ kɚɹˈiːə dʌznˌɑːt hæv ɐn ˌɪndᵻpˈɛndənt dʒuːdˈɪʃɚɹi ænd dʌznˌɑːt ɐknˈɑːlɪdʒ ˌɪndᵻvˈɪdʒuːəl ɹˈaɪts...ɹᵻpˈoːɹts ʌv ˈɑːɹbɪtɹˌɛɹi dɪtˈɛnʃənz, dˌɪsɐpˈɪɹənsᵻz,ænd ˌɛkstɹədʒuːdˈɪʃəl kˈɪlɪŋz ɑːɹ kˈɑːmən; tˈɔːɹtʃɚɹ ɪz wˈaɪdspɹɛd ænd sᵻvˈɪɹ".
Freedom House states that, "North Korea does not have an independent judiciary and does not acknowledge individual rights...reports of arbitrary detentions, 'disappearances,' and extrajudicial killings are common; torture is widespread and severe".