North Korea sentences U.S. student to 15 years hard labor

The North Korean government alleged that Warmbier was encouraged to commit the “hostile act” by a purported member of a church in his home state of Ohio, a secretive university organization and even the CIA.

In court Wednesday, North Korean officials presented fingerprints, photos of a political banner and surveillance images — proof, they said, that Warmbier committed crimes against the regime.

The 21-year-old student pleaded for mercy.

“My brother and my sister need me,” he said. “I beg that you see that I am only human, how I have made the worst mistake of my life.”

Warmbier was sentenced to 15 years hard labor.

Greg Scarlatoui, executive director for the Committee for Humans Rights in North Korea said he may be forced to work in agriculture, which happened with other American prisoners.

“He may spend his day planting apple trees. It will be fairly grueling forced labor,” Scarlatoui said.

Warmbier’s family declined to comment on his case.

In an emotional press conference last month, Warmbier admitted to attempting to steal a banner with a political slogan from his hotel in the North Korean capital. It is not known whether Warmbier made the admission under duress.

Appearing to read from a statement, he said: “I committed the crime of taking down a political slogan from the staff holding area of the Yanggakdo International Hotel.”

On Wednesday, the State Department spokesman accused North Korea of politicizing the arrests of U.S. citizens, saying, “It’s increasingly clear from its very public treatment of these cases.”

Kenneth Bae and Matthew Miller are the most recentAmerican detainees whom North Korea has released.

Both were accused of perpetrating “hostile acts” against North Korea; Miller spent less than a year in custody after being sentenced to six years of hard labor, and Bae, facing a 15-year sentence, was held for nearly two years.

The pair secured their freedom in late 2014.

Former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson told The New York Times he met with two North Korean diplomats on Tuesday to lobby for Warmbier’s release.

Richardson is a longtime diplomat and a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

Ohio Gov. John Kasich has also been pushing behind the scenes for Warmbier’s release, an aid to the governor told CNN.

Analysts say it’s possible Warmbier will be released at some point, but very likely Kim Jong Un’s regime could use the student as leverage — and will want a VIP from the United States to travel to North Korea to get him.