Amnesty laments Jamaica’s human rights violation

Debbie-Ann Wright, News Editor

The Gleaner/Power 106 News Centre



Amnesty International’s 2012 report has continued to lament the fact that no one has been held accountable for alleged human rights violations under the 2010 state of emergency.



It notes that the Public Defender, whose office conducted an independent investigation into alleged human rights violations during the state of emergency, had not submitted his report to Parliament by the end of 2011.



And it says a commitment to appoint an independent commission of inquiry into the events was not forthcoming from the government, despite calls for it from the Public Defender and Jamaican human rights organizations.



Meanwhile the human rights watchdog’s latest report notes that the number of people killed by the police between January and June 2011 fell by 32 per cent compared to the similar period in 2010.



But it says several people were killed in circumstances suggesting that they may have been extra-judicially executed.



Amnesty International also says there were reports of scores of cases of attacks, harassment and threats against lesbians, gay men and bisexual and transgendered people, which in many cases were not fully and promptly investigated.



It laments that the Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms passed last year failed to include the right to non-discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity.



debbie-ann.wright@gleanerjm.com