Indian man files petition to S. Korean rights watchdog for physical abuse during deportation

An Indian national has lodged a formal complaint with South Korea's human rights regulator, accusing immigration personnel of subjecting him to violent mistreatment, including strangulation and having his mouth covered with duct tape during his expulsion from the country.

The petition, brought before the National Human Rights Commission late last week, asserts that the man's physical liberty and fundamental human dignity were infringed upon during his removal on August 27, according to a report by Yonhap news agency.

Prior to his deportation, the individual had spent roughly eight months at a detention facility for foreign nationals located in Hwaseong, roughly 40 kilometers south of Seoul. Domestic immigration regulations permit authorities to hold foreign nationals slated for expulsion in these centers for a maximum duration of nine months before completing their removal.

The complaint states that officers placed the man in handcuffs and wrapped adhesive tape across his mouth when expelling him from the Hwaseong center. The man further reported suffering physical assaults following his transfer to the airport, claiming personnel struck him on the cheek and choked him as they prepared to send him abroad.

The incident drew broader scrutiny on Thursday during a parliamentary audit of the justice ministry, where Representative Park Eun-jung from the minor opposition Rebuilding Korea Party presented body camera recordings provided by the ministry. The video captured the deportee stating that he would cooperate without resistance and proceed independently. Despite this, an officer was seen grasping the man by the neck while ordering him to remain silent.

During the legislative session, acting Justice Minister Lee Jin-soo responded to the documented conduct, conceding that placing duct tape over the individual's mouth was clearly wrong. The human rights watchdog is expected to examine the petition regarding the immigration authorities' actions.