Amnesty International: Human Rights Abuses in Ferguson

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27. Amnesty International recommendations...

Recommendations on the Use of Lethal Force

Federal, state and local authorities should ensure that investigations into the shooting of Michael Brown are thorough, transparent, independent and impartial, and concluded as promptly as possible; Michael Brown's family must be kept informed throughout the investigation; If the evidence indicates that the killing was unlawful, the police officer responsible should be criminally prosecuted.

The Ferguson Police Department should:

Cooperate fully with the investigation into Michael Brown's death;
Undertake a review of its law enforcement policies and training on the use of force and firearms, to ensure that they conform fully to international standards, including those set out under the U.N. Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials and the Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms.
Undertake a review of its law enforcement policies and training related to race and policing diverse communities.
The Missouri Legislature should amend the Missouri statute that authorizes the use of lethal force (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 563.046) to bring the law in line with international standards, by limiting the use of lethal force by law enforcement to those instances in which it is necessary protect life.

All states should review and revise their use of lethal force statutes to bring laws in line with international standards and ensure that police departments publish regular statistics on the number of people shot and killed or injured by police officers. Police departments should also provide information on the internal disciplinary process by publishing regular statistical data on the type and outcome of complaints and disciplinary action.

The Department of Justice should:

Conduct an independent, transparent and impartial investigation into the death of Michael Brown;
Ensure the collection and publication of nationwide statistics on police shootings in accordance with the Violent Crime Control and Enforcement Act (1994). The data collected should be disaggregated by race, ethnicity and gender;
Review and update the Department of Justice's Guidance on the Use of Deadly Force by law enforcement officials to ensure compliance with international law and standards, by limiting the use of lethal force by law enforcement to only in those instances where it is needed to protect life and to ensure that sure that firearms are used as a last resort only if other means have failed or are not likely to be efficient, and even where the use of a firearm is unavoidable that this is done in a way that seeks to minimize harm and loss of life.
Promptly implement a Department of Justice led review of police tactics and practices nationwide;
champion a national commission to examine and produce recommendations on policing issues, including use of excessive and lethal force; policing of protests and adherence of all law enforcement agencies to human rights standards for law enforcement;
Update the Department of Justice's Guidance on the Use of Race by law enforcement officials, to include a comprehensive ban on racial profiling by federal law enforcement agencies.

The United States Congress should:

Pass the End Racial Profiling Act
Ensure that the Department of Justice is able to fulfil its obligation to ensure adherence to international standards related to policing and the use of force by law enforcement officers.

Recommendations on the Policing of Protests

To Ferguson Police Department, Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Governor of Missouri

Review and revise all policies and training on policing of protests to ensure that there is compliance at all times with international human rights obligations and with international standards on policing, in particular The U.N. Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials and the U.N. Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials must be the guiding principles underpinning all operations before, during and after demonstrations.

Ensure that all allegations of human rights violations by police officials during the protests in Ferguson, Missouri are investigated effectively, impartially and promptly, including unlawful use of force, arbitrary arrest and detention; and all those found responsible, including commanding officers, are brought to account through criminal or disciplinary proceedings as appropriate, and provide full redress to victims.

To the Department of Justice

Review and revise Department of Justice guidelines to law enforcement agencies on the policing of protests to ensure that there is compliance at all times with international human rights obligations and with international standards on policing, in particular The U.N. Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials and the U.N. Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials must be the guiding principles underpinning all operations before, during and after demonstrations.

The DOJ should ensure that all allegations of human rights violations by police officials during the protests in Ferguson, Missouri are investigated effectively, impartially and promptly, including unlawful use of force, arbitrary arrest and detention; as well as the failure to protect peaceful protesters from counter-protesters. All those found responsible, including commanding officers, must be brought to account through criminal or disciplinary proceedings as appropriate, and victims provided full redress.

To the United States Congress

Pass the Stop Militarizing Law Enforcement Act.

More: http://www.amnestyusa.org/research/reports/on-the-streets-of-america-human-rights-abuses-in-ferguson?page=show

The. World. Is. Watching.

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