Jamaica: Prime Minister Holness must take decisive action to tackle human rights violations

On the eve of the first anniversary of Jamaican Prime Minister, Andrew Holness, taking office, Amnesty International and Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ) published an open letter calling on the government to take concrete steps to advance the protection and promotion of human rights in the country. 

“Despite the commitment expressed by the Jamaican government to guarantee that the human rights of all Jamaicans are protected, reality remains that much more work needs to be done,” said Erika Guevara Rosas, Americas Director at Amnesty International. 

“The families of the many people allegedly illegally killed by the police urgently need justice, truth and reparation. Communities need a professional police force, well trained and adequately resourced, which fully respects human rights.” 

“JFJ and Amnesty International are ready to work with the Jamaican government to find concrete actions to fulfill our common goals of a safe and fair Jamaica for all.” 

Background

In November 2016 Amnesty International published the report Waiting in Vain: Unlawful police killings and relatives’ long struggle for justice which explores the catalogue of illegal tactics used by police across Jamaica to ensure relatives of victims of alleged unlawful killings by the police do not pursue justice, truth and reparation for their loved ones. 

Following the publication of the report, JFJ and Amnesty International launched the campaign ‘Time4Justice.’ It seeks to advance police and justice reforms for a safer Jamaica and to accompany relatives of those allegedly unlawfully killed by the police in their quest to see those responsible face the courts.

Read more

Open letter from Amnesty International and Jamaicans for Justice to Prime Minister Andrew Holness (Open Letter, 2 March 2017)

https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/amr38/5803/2017/en/ 

Jamaica’s deadly police: ‘We live in constant fear’ (Feature, 19 January 2017)

https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2017/01/jamaica-s-deadly-police-we-live-in-constant-fear/

Jamaica: Illegal police tactics fuel scores of murders and sow culture of fear (News/Report, 23 November 2016)

https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2016/11/jamaica-illegal-police-tactics-fuel-scores-of-murders-and-sow-culture-of-fear/