America must reform police culture that allows criminal aggression, experts say

A group of UN human rights experts expressed grave concern over the deaths of Keenan Anderson and Tire Nichols, both Results of Police Violence in the United States.

Anderson died on January 3 at the hands of the Los Angeles Police Department and Nichols died on January 7, after being beaten by police in Memphis, Tennessee.

In a joint statement, the experts noted that the force used in both cases would have violated international standards that protect the right to life and prohibit torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.

They also stressed that these actions transgress the norms established in the code of Conduct and the Basic principles on the use of force and firearms by law enforcement officials.

It is urgent to act

“The brutal deaths of Keenan Anderson and Tire Nichols are further reminders of the urgency to act,” said the president of the International Expert Mechanism to Promote Racial Justice and Equality in the Context of Law EnforcementYvonne Mokgoro.

The experts spoke after learning in detail about the Anderson and Nichols incidents, requesting from the United States government information on ongoing investigations and regulations applicable to the use of less lethal weapons in relation to applicable human rights standards.

Alice Jill Edwards special rapporteur on torture and one of the signatories of the communiqué, recalled that police and law enforcement have special responsibilities in protecting their citizens and defend their rights, and that when this basic function is overwhelmed by uncontrolled and illegal violence, ordinary people fear their own police.

Less lethal options are also worrisome

Regarding less lethal options to reduce the risk of death or injury, the experts stressed that any use of force by law enforcement officers must be guided by the principles of legality, precaution, necessity, proportionality, non-discrimination and accountability.

He special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executionsMorris Tidball-Binz, warned that the use of less lethal weapons, such as Tasers that produce electrical discharges of thousands of volts, raises serious concerns regarding the obligation of States to protect the right to life and the right not to suffer torture or other ill-treatment.

“Such weapons can cause deathserious bodily injury and permanent disability,” he said.

In this sense, Juan Méndez, member of the Expert Mechanism, indicated that police officers use Tasers as a routine protocol to incapacitate people who do not comply or who are experiencing mental health crises, although often do not appear to pose a serious danger to themselves or others.

“We remain very concerned about the excessive use of tasers in law enforcement, especially in light of its potential misuse,” Mendez said.

reparation to victims

The experts considered that in the case of the death of Tire Nichols, in addition to properly investigating, prosecuting and punishing the perpetrators, reparation should be provided to the victims and their families.

They also stressed that the United States must show determination to challenge and reform an institutionalized police culture that allows criminal aggression under the guise of law enforcement and public safety.

The experts were emphatic in asking the US authorities for prompt accountability and reparation.

Tracie Keese, a member of the Expert Mechanism, stressed that while five police officers were criminally charged in Nichols’ case and were fired after an administrative investigation, the gruesome images of his beating are “a alarming reminder of the urgent need for new approaches to security road and public safety in general.

The members of the Expert Mechanism reported, on the other hand, that at the invitation of the US government they will make an official visit to the country next April. They also assured to collaborate with government actors and other relevant parties so that police brutality is faced with determination and so that its victims obtain justice.

*The special rapporteurs, Independent Experts and Working Groups are part of what is known as Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name of the Council’s independent investigative and monitoring mechanisms that address specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. . Special Procedures experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent of any government or organization and provide their services in an individual capacity.