US: CARICOM Nations Record 'Significant Human Rights Issues' in 2022

WASHINGTON, DC – CARICOM countries recorded “significant human rights issues,” last year,  with Haiti and Jamaica being among regional countries being singled out were there were credible reports that some officials alleged to have committed human rights abuses were not subject to full and swift accountability.

The United States Department of State in its “2022 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices,” report said that in most of the 14 CARICOM countries examined “significant human rights issues included reports of government corruption and the existence of laws criminalizing consensual same-sex sexual conduct between adults, although those laws were not enforced”.

In the case of Haiti, which it described as a “constitutional republic with a multiparty political system,” the US Department of State said that due to widespread insecurity and a prolonged political impasse related to the extra-constitutional situation, little progress was made towards planning the overdue legislative or presidential elections.

It said that Prime Minister Dr. Ariel Henry, who has been acting as head of state following the July 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moise, has not been confirmed by Parliament as required by the constitution, due to the absence of a parliamentary quorum.

“The most recent presidential elections took place in 2016, and the most recent national legislative elections took place in 2017; international observers considered the elections free and fair. In January 2020, the terms of the majority of the parliamentary members expired because the country did not conduct elections in 2019.

“Only 10 elected senators of 30 remained in the upper house, while the lower house had no elected members. As a result, Parliament was unable to reach a quorum and ceased to function. Nearly 400 unelected mayors continued to serve at the pleasure of the executive.”

Washington said the Haitian National Police, an autonomous civilian institution led by a director general under the authority of the minister of justice and public security, is responsible for maintaining public security.

It said civilian authorities at times did not maintain effective control over the security forces and that there were reports members of the security forces committed abuses.

“Significant human rights issues included credible reports of: unlawful or arbitrary killings; torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment by government agents; harsh and life-threatening prison conditions; arbitrary arrest and detention; serious problems with the independence of the judiciary and serious abuses in a conflict, including widespread civilian deaths or harm, enforced disappearances or abductions, torture, and physical abuse,” the report noted.

It said that the inability of citizens to change their government peacefully through free and fair elections as well as serious government corruption; lack of investigation of and accountability for gender-based violence are also human rights issues observed in the French-speaking CARICOM country.

According to the report there are also “substantial barriers to accessing sexual and reproductive health services; trafficking in persons; crimes involving violence and threats of violence targeting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or intersex persons; and existence of some of the worst forms of child labour.

“The government rarely took steps to identify, prosecute, and punish government and law enforcement officials who committed abuses or engaged in corruption, and civil society groups alleged widespread impunity regarding these acts.”

Washington said gang violence continued at high rates in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area.

“Some gangs allegedly received support from political and economic elites. Kidnappings for ransom by armed gangs increased and affected all parts of society. Armed gangs were also responsible for armed conflicts resulting in killings, brutal attacks on citizens, targeted instances of sexual violence, mutilation of human remains, widespread displacement, and the destruction of homes and property.”

In the case of Jamaica, the US State Department The Jamaica Constabulary Force is the country’s police force, which also falls under the Ministry of National Security.

“When the prime minister and Parliament declare a state of emergency, the Jamaica Defense Force has arrest authority and partners with the Jamaica Constabulary Force,” the report said, noting that “ civilian authorities at times did not maintain effective control over the security forces”.

It said that there were reports that members of the security forces committed abuses and that significant human rights issues included credible reports of: unlawful and arbitrary killings by government security forces; cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment by the government; harsh and life-threatening conditions in prisons and detention facilities; arbitrary arrest and detention.

The report spoke of “serious government corruption; lack of investigation of and accountability for gender-based violence; and the existence of a law criminalizing consensual same-sex sexual conduct between adults, although the government did not enforce the law during the year.

“The government took some steps to investigate and prosecute officials who committed human rights abuses. Nonetheless, there were credible reports that some officials alleged to have committed human rights abuses were not subject to full and swift accountability.

“The government did not effectively implement the law on corruption. There were numerous credible allegations of government corruption, including by officials who sometimes engaged in corrupt practices with impunity, according to media reports and government audits,” the report added.

But the report also noted that countries like Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Guyana and Grenada “had taken steps to identify and punish officials who may commit human rights abuses or engage in corruption”.

In the case of Belize, the report noted that the government took steps to prosecute some public officials who committed abuses, but there were few successful prosecutions.

“The government did not effectively implement the laws on corruption, and officials often engaged in corrupt practices with impunity,” the US State Department added.

In the Dutch-speaking CARICOM country of Suriname, the report noted that there were reports that members of the security forces committed some abuses.

“Significant human rights issues included credible reports of: serious restrictions on freedom of expression, including enforcement of criminal libel laws; serious acts of corruption; and the existence of some of the worst forms of child labor.”

While in the Bahamas were there  “were no reports of significant abuses by the security forces,” the US State Department said that “significant human rights issues included credible reports of: cruel or degrading treatment of prisoners by prison officers”>

In Trinidad and Tobago “significant human rights issues included credible reports of: unlawful or arbitrary killings by police, refoulement of asylum seekers, serious acts of corruption, and trafficking in persons.

“The government took steps to identify, investigate, prosecute, and punish officials who committed human rights abuses or corruption, but impunity persisted due to open-ended investigations and the generally slow pace of criminal judicial proceedings,” the US State Department said.