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Topic subjectU.N. torture watchdog urges U.S. crackdown on police brutality (SWIPE)
Topic URLhttp://board.okayplayer.com/okp.php?az=show_topic&forum=4&topic_id=12662551
12662551, U.N. torture watchdog urges U.S. crackdown on police brutality (SWIPE)
Posted by ACRG, Fri Nov-28-14 08:24 PM
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/28/us-usa-un-torture-idUSKCN0JC1BC20141128

GENEVA (Reuters) - The U.N. Committee against Torture urged the United States on Friday to fully investigate and prosecute police brutality and shootings of unarmed black youth and ensure that taser weapons are used sparingly.
The panel's first review of the U.S. record on preventing torture since 2006 followed racially-tinged unrest in cities across the country this week sparked by a Ferguson, Missouri grand jury's decision not to charge a white police officer for the fatal shooting of an unarmed black teenager.
The committee decried "excruciating pain and prolonged suffering" for prisoners during "botched executions" as well as frequent rapes of inmates, shackling of pregnant women in some prisons and extensive use of solitary confinement.
Its findings cited deep concern about "numerous reports" of police brutality and excessive use of force against people from minority groups, immigrants, homosexuals and racial profiling.
The panel referred to the "frequent and recurrent police shootings or fatal pursuits of unarmed black individuals."
"We recommend that all instances of police brutality and excessive use of force by law enforcement officers are investigated promptly, effectively and impartially by an independent mechanism," said panel member Alessio Bruni, noting "reported current police violence in Chicago especially against African-Americans and Latino young people".
The U.S. delegation reported that 20 investigations had been opened since 2009 into systematic police abuses and that more than 330 police officers had been prosecuted for brutality.
"We have certain concerns about whether investigations are thoroughly completed and whether punishment of law enforcement (officers) when they have crossed the line are effectively put in place," committee member Jens Modvig told reporters.
Activists welcomed the findings and called for reforms.
"This report – along with the voices of Americans protesting around the country this week – is a wake-up call for police who think they can act with impunity," said Jamil Dakwar of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), who attended the review.
The U.N. panel called for ending U.S. custody of migrants including children in "prison-like detention facilities".
It criticized what it called a continued U.S. failure to fully investigate allegations of torture and ill-treatment of terrorism suspects held in U.S. custody abroad, "evidenced by the limited number of criminal prosecutions and convictions".
Some 148 inmates are held at the U.S. Guantanamo base in Cuba amid reports, the committee's report said, of "a draconian system of secrecy surrounding high-value detainees that keeps their torture claims out of the public domain".
12662552, will this story become a talking point?
Posted by imcvspl, Fri Nov-28-14 08:26 PM

█▆▇▅▇█▇▆▄▁▃
Big PEMFin H & z's
"I ain't no entertainer, and ain't trying to be one. I am 1 thing, a musician." � Miles

"When the music stops he falls back in the abyss."
12662575, I wondered what would qualify a black american as a refugee
Posted by Doronmonkflake, Fri Nov-28-14 09:30 PM
According to NOLO.com, citizens of other countries apply for amnesty in America if they can demonstrate two things:

•You are unable or unwilling to return to your home country because you have been persecuted there in the past or have a well-founded fear that you will be persecuted if you go back.
•The reason you have been (or will be) persecuted is connected to one of five things: your race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or your political opinion.


It goes on to define persecution:

"Persecution means to harass, punish, injure, oppress, or otherwise cause someone to suffer physical or psychological harm.

Historically, for example, the need for asylum or refugee status has been recognized in situations where a foreign government has:
•imprisoned and tortured political dissidents or supposed undesirables
•fired on protesters
•commited genocide against a certain race
•made sure that members of a certain religion were left out of the political process,
•and much more.

Even if a foreign government stands by while someone else commits acts of persecution -- for example, if the authorities are unwilling or unable to exercise control while members of a vigilante squad gang up on gays and lesbians or while members of a guerilla group threaten or kidnap people who won't voluntarily join them -- this too can qualify as persecution, which would support asylum or refugee status."


So though it sounds extreme, that's essentially what we're looking at. The failure to control vigilantes who would do us harm. America would protect foreigners from the indignity of persecution before providing that security for its own.

12662589, If I could get an EU passport I'd be out this bitch so fast.
Posted by Sarah_Bellum, Fri Nov-28-14 09:50 PM

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DJTB YOMM
12662700, do a little ancestry work
Posted by cgonz00cc, Sat Nov-29-14 09:55 AM
If you have any euro heritage, see if the consulate of that nation will acept you

Noy as hard as you might think
12662861, I've done some
Posted by Sarah_Bellum, Sat Nov-29-14 04:43 PM
My "white people" are basically Irish and Scottish. We've got every stereotypical Irish/Scottish name in my family on both sides.
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DJTB YOMM
12668954, Ireland is one of the easier ones to get actually
Posted by cgonz00cc, Sun Dec-07-14 01:34 PM
12662856, I had looked at this some time ago as well
Posted by Atillah Moor, Sat Nov-29-14 04:30 PM
It does seem like now more than ever a solid case could be made. However refugee life may not be for everyone. You gotta be unemployed for a while and some other stuff once you're accepted.
12668955, Black folk are a denationalized aka without a nation
Posted by Musa, Sun Dec-07-14 01:40 PM
.

13th and 14th amendment second class citizens

subjects.
12662857, America give no shits about the UN
Posted by Atillah Moor, Sat Nov-29-14 04:31 PM
12662862, Sadly it's true.
Posted by Sarah_Bellum, Sat Nov-29-14 04:44 PM
There would be nothing that would make me happier than if the UN issued official sanctions around police violence, executions and brutality.
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DJTB YOMM
13477647, ah well....
Posted by thegodcam, Mon Jan-30-23 05:05 PM