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Jamaica: 1) Ability of police to protect its citizens; 2) Relations between public and police; 3) Information on Human Rights situation

1)       The 1986 World Human Rights Guide reports that a "few killings by the police which they claim to have been 'in the course of duty' have taken place. Such explanations are disputed and there is significant resentment." It adds that police have some latitude to enter homes without warrants" [Humana, C.; World Human Rights Guide, The Economist, The Economist Publications Ltd.; London, 1986, pp. 146.] and informs of "many accusations of precipitate arrest by the police. Corruption of police and court officials [is] a frequent practice." [Ibid, p. 148. See also Amnesty International, Report 1986, Amnesty International Publications, London, 1986, p. 173; and Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1986, Department of State, Washington D.C., February 1986, p. 552.]

2) The Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1987 states that "police must record detentions and are responsible for ensuring that detainees appear before a member of the judiciary within 24 hours of detention. However, there have instances of detainees being held for 2 weeks or longer without being brought before a judicial officer [...] The Jamaica Council for Human Rights indicates that 90 percent of its caseload involves assisting people attempting to locate and gain the release of detained family members. The council reports that supervisory police officers have been more cooperative in recent years in providing information about detained persons." [Country Reports ... 1987, p. 534.]

3)             Please find attached the following sources of information on Jamaica:

a)             Clippings of the quotations used in the text.

b)            Copy of the IRBDC's Information Request on Jamaica No. 2157 with attached documents.

c)             Amnesty International, Report 38, Jamaica: The Death Penalty, January 1989.

d)            Gastil, R. D. "Freedom in the World", Freedom House, 1988.

e)             Kurian, G. T.; "Encyclopedia of the Third World" III edition, Vol II, Facts on File, Inc., New York, N.Y. 1987

Topics: Human rights,