Sample lack of perspective here:
There is no theory of justice, no school of thought that would justify the treatment to which Warmbier was subjected.
Actually, there is.
See, Warmbier allegedly laid hands on a poster bearing the likeness of the God Emperor, defiling it by his touch. Lèse-majesté has always been a serious crime - in some cases, it's considered high treason.
Just because the USA rejected this legal theory back in 1776, and Europe has largely allowed it to fall by the wayside, doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Mocking Presidents and Prime Ministers is perfectly acceptable - indeed, practically a civic obligation - but monarchical societies operate under very different legal systems.
And death by torture as a punishment for laying hands on the King, even in effigy, is entirely within historical norms.
Additional: Note that it is even now a crime in Russia to depict Tsar Vladimir as a gay clown, though this doesn't (officially) carry the death penalty.
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