N Korea says American detainee released on humanitarian grounds

They only released him because he was in a coma, and they didn't want his death on their hands. I hope he recovers.

That's pretty awful. I too hope he recovers soon.

Warmbier has been in a coma since over a year ago. That's a long time to wait on humanitarian grounds

Warmbier's parents found out about it only last week. What would had happened if they still didn't know

He's been in a coma with no proper medical help for a year. I doubt he will recover.

This is a truly dreadful story. 

A college kid makes a mistake (or two, since he went to North Korea). 

And for that mistake his life and his family's life are ruined. 

What we do know is that medical care in North Korea is primitive. 

It's possible they beat the student into a coma. 

It's also possible that he did contract botulism, but, as a prisoner, was not given even the poor medical care available in North Korea. 

Whatever the cause, Kim Jong-un is responsible for this result.

"on humanitarian grounds"?

More likely the cost of caring for him was getting too high. The odds of his coming out of the coma probably aren't good. Comatose and dead men ...

Fingers crossed.

There's a lesson here: if you go to North Korea you could be subject to arbitrary arrest and years in prison. They should be forced to print that on any tour materials.

So they beat the crap out of him and then one year later release him on humanitarian grounds? How thoughtful of them.

Humanitarian? They just didn't want to risk having him possibly die in their custody.

humanitarian ground? biggest joke! thinking people in the world are foolish enough to believe that?

He came back with comatose. Hope Americans will not try to tear any paper in hotel.

Reports is his condition at this time shows spastic quadriparesis, has extensive brain damage and is unresponsive and for what. What on Earth did this kid do to deserve that kind of barbaric treatment? I sincerely hope he pulls through, but it doesn't look like all that great, sadly.

Reports on the TV this morning says he has severe neurological issues and extensive brain damage. Unfortunately, there is no way back from that.

Maybe they waited a year for the visible injuries to heal before handing him back.

Maybe they waited a year for the visible injuries to heal before handing him back.

His doctors say the brain damage was caused by lack of oxygen to the brain due to a cardio-pulmonary arrest.

No, I mean visible injuries from the repeated severe beatings he received, that the New York Times alleges in the article above.