Solidarity for racial justice in the USA

Wednesday, August 19, 2020

The UN Human Rights Council recently adopted a resolution on the promotion and protection of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of Africans and of people of African descent against excessive use of force and other human rights violations by law enforcement officers. The resolution requested the High Commissioner to “examine government responses to antiracism peaceful process peaceful protests, including the alleged use of excessive force against protesters, bystanders and journalists.” In addition, the resolution requested that the High Commissioner “include updates on police brutality against Africans and people of African descent in all her oral updates to the Council.”

Earlier this month, families of victims of police violence and civil society organizations wrote a letter to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights stating their views about the resolution and how it should be implemented.  The letter to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights was endorsed by 144 families of victims of police violence and 368 civil society organizations.

In solidarity with these crucial efforts, the Institute for the Study of Human Rights heeds to the call of organizers to publicize this letter.