A comprehensive report released by three UN-appointed human rights experts has called for substantial reforms within the US criminal justice system to address deeply rooted systemic racism. The report highlights distressing incidents, such as the shackling of Black women during childbirth and male inmates subjected to labor in conditions reminiscent of historical plantations.
Published on Thursday, the report details the experts' findings from visits to US prisons conducted in April and May. These findings revealed practices within US correctional facilities that the experts deemed "an affront to human dignity."
The US diplomatic mission in Geneva refrained from making any comments regarding the report's contents. In response, the Federal Bureau of Prisons emphasized its commitment to ensuring the safety and security of all incarcerated individuals, as well as the welfare of employees and the broader public.
Among the distressing practices identified in the report is the restraint and shackling of women prisoners during childbirth. The experts noted that they had received firsthand testimonies from pregnant women who were shackled during labor, with some tragic cases leading to the loss of their babies. The report pointed out that all these cases involved Black women.
Additionally, the report detailed conditions at a Louisiana prison, where it was observed that predominantly Black male prisoners were subjected to forced labor, including tasks like cotton picking, under the supervision of white individuals on horseback. These conditions were likened to those experienced 150 years ago and were characterized as "contemporary forms of slavery."
The report expressed alarm at the extensive use of solitary confinement, highlighting its disproportionate application to inmates of African descent. It included the testimony of one Black man who endured 11 uninterrupted years in isolation.
The experts stressed the urgent need for comprehensive reform based on their findings. Juan Mendez, one of the experts, underscored the critical nature of these reforms.
US prison conditions have been a longstanding concern, prompting calls from rights organizations for the reformation or closure of facilities with the most egregious records.
This investigation was initiated by the UN Human Rights Council in 2021, a body in which the United States holds voting membership. It followed the tragic killing of George Floyd, a Black man who died as a result of a police officer pinning his neck to the ground.
The report was constructed based on testimonies from 133 individuals residing in five US cities and accounts collected from five detention centers. It also included a list of 30 recommendations for US authorities, including the establishment of a new commission to address reparations for individuals of African descent.
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