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Prisons at Center of Damning Report on U.S. Human Rights
Abookamongstthemany
Posts: 8,209
July 12, 2006
OneWorld.net
See: http://www.commondreams.org
Prisons at Center of Damning Report on U.S. Human Rights
By Haider Rizvi
UNITED NATIONS - Rights advocacy groups in the United States are calling for the United Nations to take note of the gross human rights violations being committed in their country.
A coalition of human and civil rights organizations Monday sent a 465-page report to a key United Nations committee, which details ongoing abuses of human rights across the United States.
The "shadow report" comes at a time when the Geneva-based UN Committee on Human Rights is about to complete its findings on human rights abuses in the United States.
The UN inquiry into the United States' human rights conduct is part of a review process that takes place every four years for countries that have ratified the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights, also known as the "International Bill of Rights."
As a signatory to the treaty, the U.S. government is bound to respond to the Committee's questions on human rights. The official U.S. response to the UN inquiry is due next week.
Rights groups say the Bush administration is expected to defend its human rights record, as it did in the past in response to the UN findings on torture, which called in February for the closure of the Guantanamo Bay prison camp.
"It's time for the United States to own up to its responsibility and acknowledge its patterns of human rights violations," says Tonya McClary of the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), a Quaker human rights group, which is part of the coalition that prepared the report for the UN.
The report documents various forms of human rights abuses in the United States, which include police brutality, abuse of immigrants, racial discrimination, and the use of torture in prisons.
"Prisons are one of the largest growth industries in the United States," according to the AFSC. With only five percent of the world's population, the U.S. holds about 25 percent of the world's prison population.
"The principle offender is the prison system," says McClary, who co-authored the report, entitled, "In the Shadows of the War on Terror: Persistent Police Brutality and Abuse in the United States."
"Because prisons are a closed system, operating in secrecy, the public does not comprehend the extreme forms of abuse, violence, and racism practiced daily behind bars."
The report, which is a rebuttal to the official U.S. response to the UN committee, documents many cases of unjustified police shootings, use of excessive force, extraction of coerced confessions, rape, strip searches, and racial and gender profiling.
Immigrants face sexual and physical abuse when they are detained at the borders and airports and immigration laws fail to respect their right to due process, according to the authors of the "shadow report."
In the report, the rights groups also explain how racism was associated with the authorities' failure to protect the victims of Hurricane Katrina, many of whom are still deprived of the right to participate in the rebuilding process and access to basic facilities.
Questioning the judicial practices and prison conditions in the United States, the report cites several cases of human rights violations such as the sentencing of children to life without parole, shackling pregnant female prisoners, limitation on prisoners' access to courts, lack of healthcare, and rape and discrimination against minorities.
In a statement, the coalition accused the U.S. State Department of trying to sidestep the UN process on the question of ongoing human rights abuses in the United States and described its behavior as "a systematic pattern" of ignoring international human rights obligations.
"Far from being out of the ordinary," says McClary, "or an aberration--which is the image painted by the Bush administration--prison abuse and the use of torture in the United States is frighteningly widespread."
The human rights violations, as pointed out in the report, also refer to the use of electric stun belts, grenades, and guns; tethers; waist and leg chains; air tasers; and restraint hoods, belts, and beds.
Prisoners, according to the report's findings, can be held in long-term solitary confinement and extreme isolation in severely confined spaces with little or no daily contact for days, weeks, months, or even years. Sexual assault of female prisoners is common.
The report submitted to the UN Committee represented the views of more than 140 U.S.-based groups and 32 prominent individual activists.
The groups likely to testify before the UN Committee include the American Civil Liberties Union, Global Rights, Lawyer's Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, the International Women's Rights Action Watch, Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights, Center for Reproductive Rights and Justice Now.
OneWorld.net
See: http://www.commondreams.org
Prisons at Center of Damning Report on U.S. Human Rights
By Haider Rizvi
UNITED NATIONS - Rights advocacy groups in the United States are calling for the United Nations to take note of the gross human rights violations being committed in their country.
A coalition of human and civil rights organizations Monday sent a 465-page report to a key United Nations committee, which details ongoing abuses of human rights across the United States.
The "shadow report" comes at a time when the Geneva-based UN Committee on Human Rights is about to complete its findings on human rights abuses in the United States.
The UN inquiry into the United States' human rights conduct is part of a review process that takes place every four years for countries that have ratified the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights, also known as the "International Bill of Rights."
As a signatory to the treaty, the U.S. government is bound to respond to the Committee's questions on human rights. The official U.S. response to the UN inquiry is due next week.
Rights groups say the Bush administration is expected to defend its human rights record, as it did in the past in response to the UN findings on torture, which called in February for the closure of the Guantanamo Bay prison camp.
"It's time for the United States to own up to its responsibility and acknowledge its patterns of human rights violations," says Tonya McClary of the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), a Quaker human rights group, which is part of the coalition that prepared the report for the UN.
The report documents various forms of human rights abuses in the United States, which include police brutality, abuse of immigrants, racial discrimination, and the use of torture in prisons.
"Prisons are one of the largest growth industries in the United States," according to the AFSC. With only five percent of the world's population, the U.S. holds about 25 percent of the world's prison population.
"The principle offender is the prison system," says McClary, who co-authored the report, entitled, "In the Shadows of the War on Terror: Persistent Police Brutality and Abuse in the United States."
"Because prisons are a closed system, operating in secrecy, the public does not comprehend the extreme forms of abuse, violence, and racism practiced daily behind bars."
The report, which is a rebuttal to the official U.S. response to the UN committee, documents many cases of unjustified police shootings, use of excessive force, extraction of coerced confessions, rape, strip searches, and racial and gender profiling.
Immigrants face sexual and physical abuse when they are detained at the borders and airports and immigration laws fail to respect their right to due process, according to the authors of the "shadow report."
In the report, the rights groups also explain how racism was associated with the authorities' failure to protect the victims of Hurricane Katrina, many of whom are still deprived of the right to participate in the rebuilding process and access to basic facilities.
Questioning the judicial practices and prison conditions in the United States, the report cites several cases of human rights violations such as the sentencing of children to life without parole, shackling pregnant female prisoners, limitation on prisoners' access to courts, lack of healthcare, and rape and discrimination against minorities.
In a statement, the coalition accused the U.S. State Department of trying to sidestep the UN process on the question of ongoing human rights abuses in the United States and described its behavior as "a systematic pattern" of ignoring international human rights obligations.
"Far from being out of the ordinary," says McClary, "or an aberration--which is the image painted by the Bush administration--prison abuse and the use of torture in the United States is frighteningly widespread."
The human rights violations, as pointed out in the report, also refer to the use of electric stun belts, grenades, and guns; tethers; waist and leg chains; air tasers; and restraint hoods, belts, and beds.
Prisoners, according to the report's findings, can be held in long-term solitary confinement and extreme isolation in severely confined spaces with little or no daily contact for days, weeks, months, or even years. Sexual assault of female prisoners is common.
The report submitted to the UN Committee represented the views of more than 140 U.S.-based groups and 32 prominent individual activists.
The groups likely to testify before the UN Committee include the American Civil Liberties Union, Global Rights, Lawyer's Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, the International Women's Rights Action Watch, Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights, Center for Reproductive Rights and Justice Now.
If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they'll kill you.
Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
-Oscar Wilde
Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
-Oscar Wilde
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www.myspace.com/jensvad
i am wondering if "land of the free" is was ever applicable in reality?
or if it ever will be?
I'm free. Maybe it is because I don't kill people, rape people, steal, buy/sell drugs, assault people.
Do you hate yourself? I mean, you're an American. You live here. You obviously hate it here. Only something you hate will you bash this much. And I know you're going to come back, "You fucking conservatives think we all are unpatriotic, but in fact are more patriotic than you blah blah blah." You hate this country, be honest with yourself. You're post says it all. When you think that jailing murderers, rapists, thieves, and drug pushers is a bad thing.
I don't think have a problem with jailing certain offenders, it's the treatment they are receiving inside those jails I object to. Does being convicted of a crime make you even less than an animal?
Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
-Oscar Wilde
Secondly, as a conservative, do you get mad, complain, or not listen when Eddie spouts liberal stuff? Do you hate Pearl Jam, or does it make you a fan who can like the music but hate the message? How is that different than what Abook thinks about the US...she like's the idea of democracy, but hates the current messages of hate, sexism, racism, classism, homophobia, etc. that exist in the world. Just b/c you disagree with something doesn't mean you hate it, at least Abook speaks up for what she sees as unjust actions and attempts to intervene - even if only on a messageboard.
I just took a friend to court the other day. He was convicted for growing herb and sentenced to 16 mos in SQ. When publicity is made about certain issues; i tend to compare publicity topic as i do sale items in the store. I mean whenever there is a sale on things, it usually means the prices is gonna be set a bit higher. I appreciate how you try to put out a great deal of awareness and wanted to say so. For me, I am predictin that it won't be long until these "secured housing facilities" f*kn prizns whatever you wanna call cages for humans, will built on corporate land. Soon we won't have to talk about outsourcing and all these things that are important becasue we'll be bitching that all commerce and jobs will be streamed to dept of corrections. People don't wanna see the truth and people can't imagine how other people may be capable of allowing this to happen, but it can and may be sooner than I have feared. Cost of gas will command transportation costs and soon it will be considered a wise move to house inmates on plantation type scenarios in the name of justice. Well I would rather see hard-core offenders and all the bad working hard with no life or priveleges, but not in cages; and I wonder how my friend who is a farmer and only farmed for his crime can be wrangled in with all the mass feared hardened criminals. In my state, mexterminator says we need to build more prizons. In my state, pit bulls maybe come regulated. In my state, people sell land out like their pimps sell ho-bags on a saturday night. So cheers to you, book. So many others your age would be chilling and worrying about frivilous b.s. like their nail appt's or a date at a gym. You are always here, trying to invoke some thought and I for 1 tip my dunce cap off to ya....!!!!! thank you for your diligence, book. thank you for your efforts.
I talk about my friend who is spending 16 mos in SQ for growing cannabis, becasue I feel that he is a non-violent victim of war on drugs. So many people misinterpet actions of others. Sometimes we just don't understand what and why others do what they do, but not all people in prison are there becasue they are bad. Many have been wrangled in a stereotypical group by labeling of officials in their communities. Egoic mind is what I am trying to say. People in official places are humans with egos..one human flaw is to allow our egos to over-rule the difference between right and wrong..
Let's put it this way, book. Whenever I see a truck with convservation corps inmates being transported; i flash my lights, honk my horn and give them the peace sign. One good kindness deserves another. keep infecting the planet the way you do, book; a mind is a terrible thing to waste....cheers!!!!!
a derivitive of nature.
nature is god
god is love
love is light
Awww Mel! If you weren't 3,000 miles away from me I would hug you so tight....that definitely made my day!
I do try to do what I can but I always feel like it's never enough...I imagine you feel the same. I hate the thought of sooo many in prison with mandatory minimums for something so small as simple possession or even growing. If they had it their way they would lock up just about all of the youth...at least the disadvantaged ones....somebody's gotta speak up for them. It just ain't right.
ps....you are a truly open and beautiful person. we are lucky to have you here among us.
Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
-Oscar Wilde
I have some Giroux (although unread) but not Grossburg. I'll have to check them out. We are bad about buying more books than we can possibly read. Thanks for the suggestions.:) If you haven't already, I would like to recommend William Morris, I think you would really like his views on social revolution. cheers!
Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
-Oscar Wilde
I would like to check them out very much! Thank you
Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
-Oscar Wilde
My answer is yes I have spent time in jail...go
'If my fuckin' ex-wife told me to take care of her dog while her and her new boyfriend went to Honolulu, I'd tell her to go fuck herself." -The Dude
Whisky Drinker, Non-Hunter from Denver.
jail is not the same thing as prison, but i've been held in a jail cell for 8 or so hours before...
he had a voice that was strong and loud and
i swallowed his facade cos i'm so
eager to identify with
someone above the crowd
someone who seemed to feel the same
someone prepared to lead the way
'If my fuckin' ex-wife told me to take care of her dog while her and her new boyfriend went to Honolulu, I'd tell her to go fuck herself." -The Dude
Whisky Drinker, Non-Hunter from Denver.
a derivitive of nature.
nature is god
god is love
love is light
no, i try to avoid doing things that would put me there. and i have no idea where you're going with this.
~Michael Bolton
well thanks for attacking me because you do not agree with me... this must go over well in face to face debates/discussions you have... typical loud mouth that doesnt address the issue, you just attack anyone that you do not agree with...which shows me that you are unable to discuss this topic in any detail
i think it is startling and very alarming that we house nearly 25% of the worlds prison population, i guess you dont have a problem with it...and just assuming you are a conservative i would also assume that the massive amounts of tax $ that goes into this frustrates you as well?
and by the way, i work in the legal system, so i have a point of reference on this subject
i really hope you enjoy paying to house drug addicts
The UN as a forum is great. The UN as an attempt at world government is a miserable failure. Sure it's good they can exert some political pressure. But change only comes when individual countries act. Just as nothing changes in this country unless groups of impassioned individuals decide toegther that change needs to occur.
Some people do need to be seperated from society. Now is imprisoning non violent people really all that effective? I say no, but that's just me. I think there are better more effective ways to combat drug use.
..we're number one!
People here are speaking of abuses going on within the joint..just curious as to how many of you have seen the inside...You seem to speak like you know whats going on, yet never seeing the inside? Just a question.
'If my fuckin' ex-wife told me to take care of her dog while her and her new boyfriend went to Honolulu, I'd tell her to go fuck herself." -The Dude
Whisky Drinker, Non-Hunter from Denver.
That made my day