U.S. special envoy for North Korea human rights issues Julie Turner has urged the international community to act together to stop China’s deportation of North Korean escapees.

The U.S. diplomat made the call on Tuesday in a forum held at the UN headquarters in New York, saying that North Korea, like many authoritarian governments, is committing transnational human rights abuses and violations.

Mentioning the recent forced repatriation by China of about 600 North Korean escapees, Turner called for action to prevent additional deportations that lead to well-known rights violations, including detainment, torture and execution.

The special envoy urged the international community to demand that the North Korean regime respect the human rights of those repatriated, while also making a demand that the regime explain the whereabouts of those forcibly repatriated a few weeks ago.

Turner also emphasized that the international community should support North Korean escapees who are building new lives after successfully fleeing the country.