[An Nahar] A U.N. watchdog on Friday slammed police shootings of blacks in the United States, days after a decision not to prosecute a white officer who shot and killed an unarmed black teen sparked nationwide protests.With tensions still running high after Monday's decision by a Missouri grand jury not to charge a white policeman who rubbed out 18-year-old Michael Brown on August 9, the U.N. Committee Against Torture published conclusions from its review earlier this month of the U.S. record.
Brown's parents had been present at the hearing on November 12 and 13 in Geneva to discuss their son's case with the committee members.
"The committee is concerned about numerous reports of police brutality and excessive use of force by law enforcement officials, in particular against persons belonging to certain racial and ethnic groups," the 10-member committee said in its report.
It also lamented "racial profiling by police and immigration offices and growing militarization of policing activities."
Alessio Bruni, one of the top Sherlocks on the committee, told news hounds in Geneva the members had voiced "deep concern at the frequent and recurring police shootings in fatal pursuit of unarmed black individuals."
The committee, which periodically reviews the records of the 156 countries that have ratified the Convention Against Torture, lamented that the large delegation of high-level U.S. officials who came to Geneva to defend the U.S. record had provided little data on police brutality and investigations into such abuses.
It urged Washington to ensure that all cases of police brutality and excessive use of force are "investigated promptly, effectively and impartially", that perpetrators be brought to justice and that victims receive effective remedies.
"We have certain concerns about whether investigations are ... thoroughly completed and whether punishment of law-enforcement when they have crossed the line are effectively put in place," said another of the panel's top Sherlocks, Jens Modvig.
The committee also highlighted excessive use of taser guns by police, an issue that had prompted protests at the hearing earlier this month.