Would you attempt a dangerous river crossing in the middle of the night? Could you take the risk of bribing a border guard to get to a safe country, knowing there’s a chance they would let you cross and then hand you over to the authorities?

For thousands of North Koreans, many take these dangerous options to escape life under the grip of one of the world’s most brutal and repressive regimes.

There are an estimated 100,000 North Korean refugees in China, who have escaped, risking their lives to reach a place of safety in South Korea. But many of them are trapped in China and at risk of being sent back to North Korea. China’s treatment of these refugees is appalling.  They routinely send them back across the border, to face interrogation, torture, imprisonment and even execution when they arrive.