Concentration camps, where individuals are held in inhumane conditions and often face severe abuse, are places that many think belong to a dark past. However, in several countries today—most notably Russia, China, and North Korea (the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, or DPRK)—people are still being detained, tortured, and, in some cases, die in camps with conditions and purposes akin to concentration camps. This ongoing reality is tied to complex political, social, and economic factors, with each country exhibiting its own reasons for maintaining these grim institutions. Below, we’ll explore the reasons why these camps exist in these nations and why people continue to perish within them.

1. China: Suppression of Ethnic and Religious Minorities

In China, many detention facilities are concentrated in the Xinjiang region, where the Chinese government has detained large numbers of Uyghurs, a predominantly Muslim ethnic minority. The stated purpose of these camps, according to Chinese authorities, is to provide “vocational training” and “de-radicalization” to combat extremism and maintain national security. However, extensive evidence and testimonies reveal that these camps operate as centers for mass internment, forced indoctrination, forced labor, and widespread abuse.

Why People Are Dying in Chinese Detention Camps:

• Harsh Conditions and Physical Abuse: Numerous former detainees report that inmates are subjected to beatings, torture, and psychological abuse, resulting in deaths. The overcrowded conditions, inadequate food, and lack of medical care exacerbate these risks.
• Forced Labor and Overwork: Reports indicate that detainees are often forced to work long hours in labor-intensive industries. This forced labor, combined with harsh discipline, poor nutrition, and lack of rest, contributes to fatalities within the camps.
• Systemic Persecution and Dehumanization: The Chinese government’s policies in Xinjiang reflect a broader campaign to systematically “re-educate” and assimilate the Uyghur population, often disregarding their health and basic human rights.

The Chinese government maintains tight control over information, limiting independent investigations and concealing the full extent of human rights abuses in these camps. International pressure, though growing, has so far had limited impact on Chinese policies regarding these camps.

2. North Korea (DPRK): Political Oppression and Control

North Korea’s vast network of political prison camps, known as kwanliso, are notoriously brutal. These camps are designed to imprison political dissenters, defectors, and even individuals suspected of disloyalty to the regime of Kim Jong-un. In many cases, people are detained without trial, often alongside their families, in order to enforce ideological conformity and discourage any potential rebellion or dissent.

Why People Are Dying in DPRK Concentration Camps:

• Extremely Harsh Living Conditions: Conditions in North Korean camps are among the worst documented worldwide. Detainees face constant starvation, forced labor, and violent abuse. The severe lack of food forces inmates to eat whatever they can find, including rodents and insects, leading to malnutrition and, in many cases, death from starvation.
• Torture and Executions: Torture is routine in these camps, used as a method to break down inmates psychologically and prevent any thoughts of rebellion. In many cases, individuals who disobey camp rules or try to escape face public executions, serving as deterrence for others.
• Disease and Overcrowding: Camps are unsanitary, lacking adequate water, sanitation, and medical facilities. Diseases spread rapidly, and since medical care is nonexistent or extremely limited, many detainees die from treatable illnesses like tuberculosis or infections.
• Arbitrary Detainment of Families: One of the unique aspects of North Korean prison camps is the punishment of multiple generations for the alleged „crimes“ of a single individual. This collective punishment approach ensures that families, including children and elderly relatives, are detained and subjected to the same horrific conditions, leading to deaths across generations.

International human rights organizations have documented the atrocities in North Korean prison camps extensively, but the closed nature of North Korean society and the regime’s tight grip on its population make it difficult to pressure or hold the leadership accountable.

3. Russia: The Return of Political Repression and Prison Camps

While Russia does not operate traditional concentration camps, recent years have seen the resurgence of detention camps that bear similarities to such institutions, particularly in regions with political unrest, like Chechnya. Additionally, Russia has used prison camps in Crimea and, reportedly, parts of eastern Ukraine where it has exerted influence. These camps are often used to intimidate, repress, and control dissenters, journalists, LGBTQ+ individuals, and other marginalized groups.

Why People Are Dying in Russian Detention Camps:

• Political Repression and Targeted Persecution: In areas such as Chechnya, political repression has reached extreme levels. Reports from organizations such as Amnesty International reveal that Russian authorities engage in kidnappings, torture, and extrajudicial killings of people suspected of disloyalty or of having opposing views. Conditions in these facilities are harsh, and torture frequently results in deaths.
• LGBTQ+ Persecution: Russia’s strict anti-LGBTQ+ laws and enforcement policies have led to an increase in detentions of LGBTQ+ individuals, particularly in Chechnya. In Chechen camps, detainees face torture, beatings, and executions as a form of “purification,” resulting in deaths and trauma within this community.
• Punitive Labor and “Correction”: Russia has a long history of punitive labor camps, dating back to the Gulag system. In some regions, detainees are subjected to forced labor and brutal conditions meant to „correct“ their behavior or beliefs. While not as widespread as in the past, this labor-oriented punishment contributes to fatalities, as detainees often receive inadequate food, medical attention, or rest.

The re-emergence of these camps reflects the political climate in Russia, where dissent is increasingly suppressed, and freedoms are curtailed. While there is international condemnation, Russia’s global influence and strategic importance often limit the extent of international intervention.

The Political and Social Reasons Behind the Continued Existence of These Camps

1. Authoritarian Governance: All three countries—China, North Korea, and Russia—are led by authoritarian regimes that prioritize control over their populations. In such systems, concentration camps serve as tools for repressing dissent, eliminating perceived threats, and ensuring that the ruling party or leader remains unchallenged.
2. Ideological Indoctrination and Social Engineering: These camps also function as instruments of ideological control. In China, Uyghurs and other minorities are subjected to forced indoctrination to align with Communist Party ideologies. North Korea uses camps to enforce loyalty to the Kim regime, while Russia employs detention centers to suppress opposition, particularly among political dissidents.
3. Fear and Deterrence: By maintaining these camps, the regimes in these countries create a climate of fear. The threat of detainment, torture, or death in a camp dissuades individuals from speaking out or resisting, effectively maintaining social and political order through intimidation.
4. Economic and Strategic Benefits: Forced labor is another motive behind the existence of these camps, particularly in China and North Korea, where detainees are compelled to work in various industries, often producing goods for domestic consumption or export. This provides economic benefits for the state, albeit at the expense of basic human rights.

International Response and Challenges

Internationally, these camps have drawn condemnation, but responses have been limited. Sanctions and diplomatic pressure have been applied, but the geopolitical significance of China and Russia complicates intervention efforts. North Korea’s isolation makes external pressure challenging to exert, as the country rarely responds to international appeals for human rights reform. Furthermore, the suppression of information, censorship, and control over media make it difficult to gather concrete evidence, even as testimonies from survivors, satellite imagery, and independent investigations provide glimpses of the abuse.

Conclusion

The persistence of concentration and detention camps in China, North Korea, and Russia serves as a tragic reminder of the power of authoritarian regimes to control, punish, and exploit their own citizens. People continue to die in these camps as a result of torture, forced labor, starvation, and lack of medical care. The international community faces significant challenges in addressing these abuses due to political complexities, but awareness, advocacy, and policy interventions remain essential to increasing pressure on these governments. Only through sustained global attention and action can there be hope for the people enduring these human rights violations.