Otto Warmbier dead; former US prisoner of North Korea was 22

[Dashinka 25,917]

Otto Warmbier, the American student who was detained and held in North Korea before being returned back to the U.S. earlier this month, has died, according to his family. He was 22 years old.

 

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2017/06/19/otto-warmbier-dead-former-us-prisoner-north-korea-was-22.html

[X Factor 1,113]

Very sad that this youngster lost his life. Blood guilt is on the hands of North Korea's leadership

[millefleur 5,052]

Awful. I feel so bad for his family.

[8bit_Theatre 64]

11 minutes ago, X Factor said:

Very sad that this youngster lost his life. Blood guilt is on the hands of North Korea's leadership

You could sink the Titanic in the lake of blood they have spilled.

[Umka36 781]

Sad to hear. There's still 3 Americans in captivity there. The US State department should just ban any US citizen's from being allowed to go there.

[Dashinka 25,917]

5 minutes ago, Umka36 said:

Sad to hear. There's still 3 Americans in captivity there. The US State department should just ban any US citizen's from being allowed to go there.

It is sad for his family thanks to the poor medical care he received in the DPRK.  From what I understand it is already very difficult for US citizens to go to North Korea.  I had a chance to go several years ago when the Kaesong industrial area was still open, but I chose not to.  One day I would love to visit there, but only after reunification.  So far the closest I got was the tunnel under the DMZ which of course is blocked off several hundred meters from the actual border.

[Umka36 781]

"After Otto Warmbier's Release, Will U.S. Ban Travel To North Korea?"

 

http://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2017/06/16/533229449/after-otto-warmbiers-release-will-u-s-ban-travel-to-north-korea

 

 

[Amica Nostra 4,803]

I cannot imagine outliving my child.   Very sad.

[Mr&Mrs G. 903]

The US should demand the immediate release of all US captives held by the North Korean government, if not stick a nice big missile down their throat. 

 

It's time for that regime to go, they are just barbaric. 

[Amica Nostra 4,803]

Donald Trump on Otto Warmbier: 'At least he got home to his parents'

[IAMX 3,055]

I don't understand why people feel bad for this guy.

 

Yes, North Korea is terrible, they're brutal, and so on.

 

But this was an American visiting another country, as stupid as it looks, committing what they consider a serious crime. 

 

Even in his own country theft is a crime, why take such a stupid risk in a country like North Korea? Should be a Darwin award.

 

It's tragic, but this is all on Otto Wambier. No matter what country you're visiting, regardless of how much you agree or disagree with it, follow their laws and customs. If you don't, and wind up in jail, you have no one else to blame but yourself for what happens next.

Edited June 20, 2017 by IAMX

[Mr&Mrs G. 903]

1 minute ago, IAMX said:

I don't understand why people feel bad for this guy.

 

Yes, North Korea is terrible, they're brutal, and so on.

 

But this was an American visiting another country, as stupid as it looks, committing what they consider a serious crime. 

 

Even in his own country theft is a crime, why take such a stupid risk in a country like North Korea?

 

It's tragic, but this is all on Otto Wambier. No matter what country you're visiting, regardless of how much you agree or disagree with it, follow their laws and customs.

I think it's because 22 year olds do stupid things and it's not like he was smuggling a couple of kg's of cocaine. All he did was try take a poster noting more, he should have have been given a fine or something and sent home with his tail between his legs. 15 years hard labour is draconian by any countries standards.

[IAMX 3,055]

1 minute ago, Mr&Mrs G. said:

I think it's because 22 year olds do stupid things and it's not like he was smuggling a couple of kg's of cocaine. All he did was try take a poster noting more, he should have have been given a fine or something and sent home with his tail between his legs. 15 years hard labour is draconian by any countries standards.

Absolutely, that country is 100% draconian, but I doubt he was oblivious to the dangers of that country.. I wouldn't even jaywalk if it was illegal there, not that I'd be caught there alive in the first place. He knew better. It's an incredibly stupid mistake he made that cost his life, and while it's easy to blame North Korea for being a barbarically stupid country, because they most certainly are one, it's his own fault for putting himself in that situation to begin with.

[millefleur 5,052]

Simply the treatment was unjustified, that's all.

 

Even the Soviet Union (post-Stalin of course) didn't treat foreign prisoners this badly. I once watched an American account his experience in a Soviet prison in the 70s after being caught with a huge suitcase full of heroin at the Moscow airport. He went to prison but was treated like a human being despite the punishment, he came back to the US after some time healthy and mentally sound, apart from just feeling like a total idiot for his actions. 

 

Whatever they did to Warmbier is beyond unjustfied. He didn't deserve to become mysteriously brain dead and then die all because of trying to steal a sign in a hotel. Yes, he was obviously really dumb for attempting this, but the price he paid (and now his family is paying) is bafflingly uncalled for. We don't have the whole story and probably never will, but I wouldn't be surprised if he were a victim of human 'science' experiments of some kind.

 

 

[yuna628 9,882]

Why do people in this thread assume that the 'I stole a poster' accusation and confession is true?

We have no evidence of it.