MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 04th February, 2021) An international human rights group published on Thursday new evidence of what it says was reckless use of tear gas by police in several countries in the second half of 2020, including during election turmoil in Uganda, Black Lives Matter protests in the United States and unrest in Lebanon.
In June, Amnesty International launched a special website "Tear Gas: An Investigation" to keep a record of security forces abusing tear gas across the world. The interactive map includes incidents in France, Guatemala, India, Mali, Nigeria, Peru, Serbia and Tunisia among others. On Thursday, the website was updated with new cases.
The list includes Uganda, which saw political unrest amid the election faceoff between long-time President Yoweri Museveni and pop star-turned-politician Bobi Wine; demonstrations in Lebanon in the wake of the August 2020 Beirut blast; and Nigeria's protests against police brutality.
Amnesty International also mentioned "dozens" of US cities where law enforcement agencies "targeted peaceful Black Lives Matter protesters with tear gas and other crowd control agents." The website specifically lists tear gas use against George Floyd protesters in Minneapolis, Richmond and Philadelphia.
"Our updated analysis is further proof that security forces continue to misuse this less lethal weapon on a massive scale. Far too often in 2020, peaceful protesters were met with violence, including the widespread, unlawful use of tear gas, which can amount to torture or other ill-treatment in certain circumstances," Patrick Wilcken, deputy director of Amnesty International's Global Issues Programme, said.
He warned that reckless use of tear gas often leads to injuries and sometimes even deaths of peaceful protesters.
