International condemnation

Helen Shaw and Deborah Coles of Inquest.

As a result of a detailed submission from INQUEST, the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) has delivered a sharp rebuke to the UK Government on its response to black and minority deaths in custody. INQUEST's detailed submission and lobbying of the Committee in Geneva on March 4/5 was based on 15 years extensive casework and monitoring of deaths in custody. As a result, CERD's voice was added to an already significant lobby of MP's, civil rights organisations, coroners, anti-racist organisations and families.

The committee said:

"It is noted with serious concern that among the victims of death in custody are a disproportionate number of members of minority groups, that police brutality appears to affect members of minority groups disproportionately, that allegations of police brutality and harassment are reportedly not vigorously investigated and perpetrators, once guilt is established, not appropriately punished."

CERD recommended that:

"...all complaints of police brutality be vigorously and independently investigated and the perpetrators punished. It recommends that investigations into deaths in custody be carried our expeditiously by independent inquiry mechanisms."

The UK Government must not be allowed to ignore the injustices families face after a death in custody. INQUEST is campaigning for the Government to lift the veil of secrecy and silence surrounding controversial deaths and the subsequent investigatory process to ensure public accountability and justice.

INQUEST's report asked CERD to consider the UK government's failure to: (1) monitor deaths in custody by ethnicity and make this information public; (2) investigate thoroughly, fully and independently deaths in custody; (3) bring perpetrators of human rights violations/racial violence within the police, prison and immigration service to justice to ensure public accountability; (4) provide adequate training for law enforcement officials particularly in the permissible methods of restraint and the authorisation of such methods.

An updated version of the report is available from INQUEST (£5.00).

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