Seoul:An Indian man has lodged a complaint with South Korea's human rights body, claiming he was physically abused during his deportation. He alleges that immigration authorities used duct tape on his mouth and choked him.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the man filed the petition with the National Human Rights Commission, citing violations of his bodily freedom and human dignity during the deportation process on August 27. He had been detained at an immigration holding center in Hwaseong, roughly 40 kilometers south of Seoul, for around eight months prior to his forced removal.
The petition details that upon being taken to the airport for deportation, the man was handcuffed and had duct tape placed around his mouth. He reported suffering physical abuse, including being hit in the cheek and choked, despite stating he would not resist and would leave voluntarily.
Rep. Park Eun-jung of the minor Rebuilding Korea Party presented body cam footage from the justice ministry during a parliamentary audit. The footage showed the man expressing his willingness to cooperate, yet an officer appeared to grab his neck and instructed him to stop speaking.
In reaction to the footage, acting Justice Minister Lee Jin-soo admitted that using duct tape on the man's mouth was "clearly wrong."