A/HRC/25/CRP.1 to bring his or her opinion into harmony with the collective opinion. Care was taken not to resort to oppression in such cases.234 228. The Commission recalls that the Human Rights Committee considers the right to hold opinions without interference to be one which the ICCPR permits no exception or restriction. “All forms of opinion are protected, including opinions of a political, scientific, historic, moral or religious nature. It is incompatible with paragraph 1 to criminalize the holding of an opinion. The harassment, intimidation or stigmatization of a person, including arrest, detention, trial or imprisonment for reasons of the opinions they may hold, constitutes a violation of article 19, paragraph 1 … Any form of effort to coerce the holding or not holding of any opinion is prohibited”.235 The CRC also obliges states to respect every child’s right to express their views freely,236 and the right to seek and impart information and ideas of all kinds, either orally, in writing or print, through art or any other media.237 229. The population is in fact encouraged to denounce any conduct that may pose a threat to the political system and its leadership. The Commission received a document, reportedly issued by the Ministry of Public Safety in January 2013, which provides a list of 18 acts or “behaviours” that are to be reported to the security forces. This list includes: committing anti-state, anti-national crimes and promoting to commit them; meeting foreigners illegally and exchanging letters and goods; behaviours which corrupt public morals; and all other kinds of “abnormal behaviours”. (a) Monitoring and surveillance system 230. The state has established a vast surveillance apparatus to become aware of the expression of sentiments deemed anti-state or anti-revolutionary. This includes the setting up of a large network of secret informers, who operate in all areas of life. In addition to the monitoring carried out by the officials of the mass organizations, of which membership is compulsory for all citizens, there is also the Neighbourhood Watch. 231. The Neighbourhood Watch (Inminban) is made up of about 20-40 households with a leader appointed to report to the police or SSD on unusual activities in the neighbourhood including unregistered visitors and monitor for anti-state activities and expressions of dissent. Sometimes villagers are also given orders by security agents to spy on their neighbours.238 The Neighbourhood Watch has been described to be responsible for registering residents, monitoring their activities, providing ideological education, and mobilizing people for various campaigns with leaders appointed by local party committees. The Neighbourhood Watch scrutinizes the intimate details of family life. It also has the authority to visit homes at any time, even at night, to determine if there were unregistered guests or adulterous activities, and to report these to security organs for action.239 232. The Commission learned that even casual remarks shared in a small circle could end up being reported by informants, leading to serious consequences. • Mr Son Jung-hun was working in a trading company within the Central Committee when he visited the house of his chief for a small New Year gathering in January 1996. There he saw scenes from a video tape recording of Western military weaponry including fighter jets. He made the mistake of saying out loud that the 234 235 236 237 238 239 64 E/C.12/2003/SR.44, para. 46. CCPR/C/GC/34, paras. 9-10. See CRC, article 12 See CRC, article 13. TAP002, TAP008. Ken E. Gause, “Coercion, Control, Surveillance, and Punishment”, pp. 42-48.