Stopped, Seized and Under Siege: U.S. Government Violations of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights through

In September 2013, CCR published a shadow report submission entitled, Stopped, Seized and Under Siege: U.S. Government Violations of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights through Abusive Stop and Frisk Practices (PDF). The report, submitted before the UN Human Rights Committee on the occasion of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) periodic review process builds on CCR's advocacy work on stop and frisk and domestic human rights work. Learn more about CCR's ICCPR work here.

As CCR notes in the report, the Human Rights Committee’s (the “Committee”) interest in the New York Police Department’s (“NYPD”) stop and frisk practices is vital to understanding the U.S. Government’s disregard towards upholding its human rights obligations in the areas of law enforcement, non-discrimination and accountability.

The NYPD’s use of stops is a critical rights issue for many reasons. Stops are both unlawful and discriminatory as they occur overwhelmingly without the reasonable, articulable suspicion of criminal activity as required by the law  and at an alarming rate in communities of color in New York City,  who often feel under siege and harassed by the police.  Stops are often the first interaction that people have with the criminal justice system. They also can lead to potentially grave implications in the lives of New Yorkers.  The NYPD’s abusive use of stops also infringes upon other human rights protections enshrined in the ICCPR, including: the right to be free from discrimination (Articles 2.1 and 26); the prohibition on cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment (Article 7); freedom from arbitrary arrests and detention (Article 9); the right to freedom of movement (Article 12.1); the right to privacy (Article 17); freedom of expression (Article 19), and association (Article 22); and the protection of children (Article 24).

CCR hopes this shadow report will provide further information on the gravity of rights violations on the part of the NYPD, and ultimately, the U.S. Government, in light of this periodic review process.

 

Endorsing organizations to this report include: American-Indian Movement – WEST, American Muslims for Palestine, American Muslim Voice, Arab Cultural and Community Center, Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Asian Law Caucus, Bronx Defenders, CAAAV Organizing Asian Communities, Creating Law Enforcement Accountability & Responsibility (CLEAR) project, CUNY School of Law, DRUM - Desis Rising Up & Moving, Equal Justice Society, Eritea Global Solidarity, Immigrant Defense Project, Jews for Racial & Economic Justice, The Libra Foundation, Malcolm X Center, Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, Meiklejohn Civil Liberties Institute, Muslim Advocates, National Lawyer’s Guild, National Lawyers Guild Maryland Chapter, National Police Accountability Project, Inc., Northern Manhattan Coalition for Immigrant Rights, OMNI Center for Peace, Justice & Ecology, Public Science Project, Rights Working Group, Streetwise and Safe, Trinity United Church of Christ Gary, IN, VOCAL-NY, W. Haywood Burns Institute, and Woodhull Sexual Freedom Alliance.

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Last modified 

September 9, 2013