A/75/388 damaged. As a result of the pervasive discrimination in the public distribution system, ordinary citizens, including farmers, do not receive rations. Prospects of a further deepening of food shortages and widespread food insecurity is a serious concern, not only owing to the danger of starvation, but also concerning the health and well -being of large segments of the population due to poor nutrition. The Special Rapporteur urges the Government to invest the necessary resources to overcome that serious food insecurity and to break the cycle of isolation. He also calls on the international community to reassess the implications of the measures being taken, including sanctions, that impact the right to food. 17. Malnutrition is common in prisons in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea because prisoners receive very little or poor-quality food. In many cases, prisoners depend on food brought in by their families, but family visits have been difficult owing to COVID-19 preventative measures. In prisons, access to safe drinking water is limited, sanitation facilities are inadequate and health services barely exist. Those who are repatriated from China are also placed under harsh conditions in detention facilities. Accounts refer to frequent deaths of prisoners as a result of hard work, lack of food, contagious diseases and overcrowding. The secrecy surrounding the political prison camps (kwanliso) is particularly concerning. The Government should follow the guidelines in the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), WHO, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) joint statement on COVID-19 in prisons and other closed settings, 15 and abide by the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules). It must provide information about those prisoners and allow independent monitoring. The Special Rapporteur calls once again for consideration of release of prisoners, particularly those who are most vulnerable: older, ill and undernourished persons, persons with disabilities, children, pregnant and lactating mothers and nursing parents. In addition, alternatives to detention should be implemented to mitigate the risk of harm within places of detention, including for persons who have committed minor, petty and non-violent offences or those with imminent release dates. D. Humanitarian access 18. In April, the leadership of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea emphasized the need for the population to exercise self-reliance and frugality and warned about the dangers associated with dependence on aid from Western countries. The obstacles facing international humanitarian actors in the country also negatively impact access to health care. In the Global Humanitarian Response Plan for COVID-19, launched on 25 March, it is noted that in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the current low funding level and extremely poor availability of cash will impact response. It is also noted that quarantine measures, the inability to import medical supplies, the rotation of international staff and the inability to effectively engage with government officials have hampered the response. 19. The Special Rapporteur encourages the Government to comply with the COVID-19 guidance issued by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, which calls for solidarity and cooperation to tackle the virus, and to mitigate the effects of measures designed to halt its spread. 16 He also recommends that the Government: (a) further seek international assistance for testing and make public transparent data relating to the pandemic, disaggregated at a minimum by sex, age __________________ 15 16 8/21 See www.ohchr.org/Documents/Events/COVID-19/20200513_PS_COVID_and_Prisons_EN.pdf. See www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/COVID19Guidance.aspx. 20-13513