In a press release the organization recalled that on March 18 the judicial authorities arrested Jo Sun Dok, former permanent chairperson of Mingahyop, on the charge of the violation of the "law on punishment of violence and other actions."

The authorities claimed that Jo Sun Dok "committed violence against an assemblyman" and "had harbored discontent with normal legislative activities" though Jo protested against the "Grand National Party" trying to railroad the "evil bills", the organization charged.

It branded such violence by the authorities as a politically-motivated suppression of Mingahyop, a human rights organization, and, moreover, crackdown on the organizations for democratic and progressive movement.

The authorities have called the said case into question though they did not punish policemen when they committed group violence against an "assemblyman" from an opposition party on the spot of candlelight struggle, the organization pointed out, adding that it was motivated by a political aim.

It declared that the progressive forces would form a body for taking a joint counteraction and wage the struggle urging the release of Jo.