GENEVA, Switzerland, Dec. 18 (UPI) -- The execution in North Korea of Jang Song Thaek, one of leader Kim Jong Un's uncles, was one of several executions this year, U.N. envoys said Wednesday.

North Korea state media reported Jang was found guilty by a military tribunal of plotting against the government and later executed. His arrest trial and execution occurred within five days ending Dec. 12 but was just one over several similar incidents in North Korea since August, U.N. experts said.


Marzuki Darusman, U.N. special envoy on the human rights situation in North Korea, said there have been several incidents of public executions across the country. People were executed in North Korea for crimes ranging from watching pornography to selling illegal videos.

"If the death penalty is to be used at all, international law clearly requires that it is imposed under very strict circumstances," U.N. special envoy on summary executions Christof Heyns said.

Darusman added he was concerned about guilt-by-association crimes, whereby associates of a person accused of a crime may face hard labor of execution.

North Korea is suspected of favoring its military and nuclear program over the welfare of its people.