Human Rights Issues

Human rights are universal freedoms and rights entitled to all people regardless of any distinction they may have that are inseparable, intertwined, and have the inability to be taken away or transferred. Despite the United Nations' (UN) consensus that the human rights listed in the United Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) are essential and protected under international law; it has become apparent that through the years, these rights have been violated on a daily basis by law enforcement with little to no accountability. In efforts to enlighten readers on this issue, this paper will be addressing an article from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights entitled "Verdict is Testament to Courage, Perseverance, and Justice" that reflects on the verdict of Police Officer Chauvin and what message it sends as the United States addresses police accountability and an article from Human Rights Watch entitled "Justice is Served for George Floyd, but U.S. Police Reform Remains Urgent" by John Raphling that reflects on the ineffectiveness of the same verdict as police brutality continues.

Summary of Articles

In "Verdict is Testament to Courage, Perseverance, and Justice," the Office of the United Nation's High Commissioner for Human Rights records the impact of Police Officer Chauvin's verdict as the beginning of a long war for continuous justice for those that fall victim to police brutality and systemic racism. Michelle Bachelet suggests that there is a need to reflect on the history of the United States and examine the toxicity laced within it that continue today; in order to properly dismantle the violations that come with negative interactions with law enforcement. “The entrenched legacy of discriminatory policies and systems, including the legacies of enslavement and transatlantic trade and the impact of colonialism, must be decisively uprooted in order to achieve racial justice and equality. If they are not, the verdict in this case will just be a passing moment when the stars aligned for justice, rather than a true turning point.” (OHCHR, 2021) In addition, Dominique Day supports the impact of the verdict as a crucial point in the anti-racism and discrimination movement, but warily admits that despite the amount of lives impacted, there is still a mindset ingrained on the world to proceed as usual. “It is an example of what it means to be human rights centered, that part of justice is accountability, and part of justice is reparations. I do think that at some level, the global demand for change, the global frustration with the status quo and the idea that these systems, including our governments, really rely on business as usual despite the threat to lives like ours are ultimately really well reflected in this verdict.” (OHCHR, 2021) Today’s law enforcement is the reflection of the infamous slave patrols, which is the earliest form of policing. Dismantling years of ingrained practices would undo the foundation of the United States and therefore requires critical care when uprooting them.

On the other hand, in "Justice is Served for George Floyd, but U.S. Police Reform Remains Urgent," John Raphling disagrees that the verdict made any difference in changing U.S. Policing and sternly believes addressing societal contributions to crimes such as homelessness and community development will reduce police brutality cases. “Addressing poverty that contributes to crime, supporting community growth and development, providing access to health services, housing, education, and jobs, instead of responding to societal problems with police whose main tools are blunt force and criminalization, will improve public safety and reduce police violence.” (Raphling, 2021) For over 400 years, millions of people have patiently waited for there to be accountability and reparations for the wrongdoings of police officers. Poverty is only a fraction of the issue and doesn’t explain the hundreds of people unlawfully murdered or beaten by law enforcement within a few months or a year. Why discredit the inch of progress the nation has made by finally addressing police accountability?

Analysis of Articles

Under the United Declaration of Human Rights, it is understood that all citizens have a civil and societal duty to respect the human rights and freedoms of others while maintaining the general welfare and morality of their community. Law enforcement, being part of this guideline, has the responsibility to uphold these human rights and freedoms. In the impact of the verdict of Police Officer Chauvin, it is imperative that the police and society understand the human rights and freedoms that are violated in regards to police brutality and why police accountability is so crucial to the battle for racial justice and equality. The following rights and freedoms are just some that are constantly violated:

 Genocide – Acts committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group, including but not limited to, killing or causing bodily harm to members of said group. Most cases of police brutality are racially targeted towards African Americans resulting in death or serious injuries.

 Arbitrary Executions, Arrest, and Detention – Deprivation of life or liberty without due process, and the involvement, complicity, tolerance, or acquiescence of the government or its agents including death caused by excessive force by law enforcement. Another example of the case of George Floyd.

 Racial Discrimination – Any distinction based on the race, color, national or ethnic origin which hinders anyone from exercising their rights on an equal basis with others in all areas of public life. There are several cases of this with interactions with law enforcement resulting in the statistic that black people are 2.5x more likely to be killed by a police officer.

Although, the United States witnessed history being made with the verdict of Policer Officer Chauvin, it is far from where the nation needs to be. This issue of police accountability is an ongoing battle that will continue for generations as long as police brutality continues.  

References

Office of High Commissioner of Human Rights. (2021, April 21). OHCHR | Statement by UN high commissioner for human rights Michelle Bachelet on guilty verdict in George Floyd case. https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=27016

Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. (2021, April 21). Verdict is testament to courage, perseverance and justice. https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/Floyd-Verdict.aspx

Raphling, J. (2021, April 21). Justice is served for George Floyd, but US police reform remains urgent. Human Rights Watch. https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/04/20/justice-served-george-floyd-us-police-reform-remains-urgent#