For the United Nations, police officers responsible for racism cannot go unpunished
For the United Nations
The UN calls for a systemic approach from states to tackle the problem of racist violence by law enforcement agencies
(Photo: Ted Soqui / SIPA USA) Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis policeman who killed George Floyd, was sentenced to 22 years and six months for second degree murder, closing a case that has put the issue of law enforcement racism at the center of international debate. After the murder of the 46-year-old African American, the United Nations has launched an investigation in which they demand an end to the impunity enjoyed by police officers who violate the human rights of people of African descent.L United Nations Human Rights Office, led by Michelle Bachelet, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and former President of Chile, analyzed 190 murders of Afro-descendants around the world. The report examined law enforcement violations of international human rights law, government responses to peaceful anti-racist protests, as well as accountability and compensation for victims. The result of the analysis led to the conclusion that law enforcement officers are rarely held accountable for the killing of people of color, due to insufficient investigation and a reluctance to acknowledge the impact of structural racism on law enforcement. order.
The study was based on online consultations with more than 340 people, mostly of African descent, received over 100 written contributions and was reviewed by industry experts. Looking at the deaths in police custody in several countries, the report highlighted "striking similarities" in the killings and also in the obstacles families face to access justice. According to what can be read in the text, the mosaic of available data paints "an alarming picture of systematic, disproportionate and discriminatory impacts on people of African descent in their meetings with the police and within the criminal justice system in many states ".
The 23-page report, and the accompanying 95-page document, feature 7 examples of police killings. That of Kevin Clarke, who died after being held by agents in London in 2018, of Luana Barbosa dos Reis Santos and João Pedro Matos Pinto (a 14-year-old boy) killed by police in Brazil, George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, killed in the United States United, Janner GarcÃa Palomino in Colombia and Adama Traoré in France.
Bachelet described the current situation as “unsustainable”: “Systemic racism needs a systemic response. A comprehensive approach is needed to dismantle the systems rooted in centuries of discrimination and violence. We need a transformative approach that addresses the interconnected areas that drive racism and lead to repeated, completely avoidable tragedies, such as the death of George Floyd. ” Bachelet then appealed to all states, asking them to "stop denying and start dismantling racism, ending impunity and building trust, listening to the voices of Afro-descendants and addressing the legacies of the past, providing reparation. ”.
Web - 20 minutes ago
YouTube has blocked an abusive channel of human rights in Xinjiang
How many transactions it takes to get the first cashback
Luciano Floridi: "The Silicon Valley dream is over"
Topics
Black Lives Matter UN Rights Politics Racism United States globalData.fldTopic = "Black Lives Matter, Rights, UN, Politics, Racism, United States "
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
U.N. report calls on nations to act to 'uproot' lingering systemic racism worldwide
June 28 (UPI) -- Pointing to the police-involved deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others, the United Nations human rights office issued a report Monday that calls on governments to 'uproot systemic racism' worldwide.
The 23-page report, led by Commissioner Michelle Bachelet, focused on what it called a 'litany of violations of economic, social, cultural, civil and political rights' against Black people worldwide and said they warrant international attention.
'The status quo is untenable,' Bachelet said in a statement. 'Systemic racism needs a systemic response.
'There needs to be a comprehensive rather than a piecemeal approach to dismantling systems entrenched in centuries of discrimination and violence. We need a transformative approach that tackles the interconnected areas that drive racism, and lead to repeated, wholly avoidable, tragedies like the death of George Floyd.'
The human rights office began producing the comprehensive report last year amid the global response to Floyd's death. The office said it consulted with 340 people and received more than 110 written responses.
The report highlights 'stark socioeconomic and political marginalization' against those of African descent in many U.N. member countries.
'Across numerous countries, most notably in North and South America and in Europe, people of African descent disproportionately live in poverty and face serious barriers in accessing their rights to education, healthcare, employment, adequate housing and clean water, as well as to political participation, and other fundamental human rights,' the global body said.
The human rights office said it found that African people and those of African descent have often been victims of over-policing for minor offenses, traffic stops and stop-and-searches, mental health crises and drug- or gang-related operations.
'In many of the cases examined, the information shared indicates that the victims did not appear to pose an imminent threat of death or serious injury to law enforcement officials, or to the public, that would justify the level of force used,' it said.
The report recommends strengthening mechanisms of the U.N. Human Rights Council to advance racial justice and equality in law enforcement and addressing lingering legacies of the transatlantic slave trade and colonialism.
'The murder of George Floyd ... and the ensuing mass protests worldwide have marked a watershed in the fight against racism,' the report states. 'In some countries, there is now broader acknowledgment of the systemic nature of the racism that affects the lives of Africans and people of African descent and of the need to address the past in order to secure future conditions of life that uphold the dignity and rights of all. It is our collective duty to address these issues -- immediately and everywhere.'
The Surrogate's Court building exterior remains vandalized while Occupy City Hall protests continue outside City Hall in New York City on June 30. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Hundreds have been gathering in a park near City Hall for over a week to demand stripping the New York Police Department of $1 billion in funding as the City Council prepares to vote on a city budget. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Occupy City Hall protests continue in a park outside City Hall. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Actress Cynthia Nixon wears a protective face mask when she joins Occupy City Hall protests. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
A young boy and his father look over display of teddy bears with the message, 'we deserve a future free of racial injustice' in Los Angeles on June 28. Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
Lowriders fill the streets near City Hall to protest the criminalization of cruising, George Floyd's murder, Latin rights and police brutality and accountability in Los Angeles. Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
Demonstrations and other activities continue across the nation, targeting systemic racism and police brutality. Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
Protesters march to St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson's home in St. Louis on June 28. The protesters are asking for Krewson to resign after reading names and addresses of those who have different ideas on how the police department should look, during her daily Facebook update. Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo
A man holding a semi-automatic rifle yells at protesters walking past his house en route to Krewson's home. Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo
A large crowd of protesters yells outside Krewson's home. Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo
Vanessa Mnobu of Frederick, Md., participates in a demonstration at Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington, D.C., on June 27. Photo by Leigh Vogel/UPI | License Photo
A woman jumps rope during a The Chocolate City Experience & Black Lives Matter D.C. Collab gathering at Black Lives Matter Plaza. Photo by Leigh Vogel/UPI | License Photo
Demonstrators hold hands at Black Lives Matter Plaza as protests, demonstrations and gatherings have taken place daily since the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25. Photo by Leigh Vogel/UPI | License Photo
From left to right, Clearance Thompson, Jendaya Heredia and London Williams protest at Black Lives Matter Plaza near the White House in Washington, D.C., on June 25. Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI | License Photo
Elijah Liskin, 17, of Denver, sits on a barrier at Black Lives Matter Plaza near the White House. Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI | License Photo
Signs cover the fence blocking Lafayette Park near the White House. Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI | License Photo
A visitor looks at signs on the fence surrounding Lafayette Park. Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI | License Photo
Peaceful protesters march toward Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington, D.C. Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI | License Photo
Metropolitan Police protect St. John's Episcopal Church at Black Lives Matter Plaza near the White House. This is the church where President Donald Trump posed with a Bible in a controversial photo opportunity. Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI | License Photo
Protesters raise their fists at Black Lives Matter Plaza near the White House. Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI | License Photo
Demonstrators march toward Black Lives Matter Plaza. Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI | License Photo
Protesters gather near a construction site for a new storage facility in Bethesda, Md., on Thursday. They argue that the remains of African Americans are located on the site. Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI | License Photo
The construction site seen here is where protesters say Montgomery County and developers 'are digging up our ancestors, who were kidnapped from Africa, enslaved, tortured and raped' and want Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich to halt the construction. Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI | License Photo
A protester holds up a painting of George Floyd near City Hall in New York City on Thursday. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
A protester takes a nap near City Hall. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
A protester paints a sign. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
