The US "Rewards for Justice" program that targets people allegedly involved in terrorist activity violates the human rights of these individuals, UN human rights experts said on Wednesday
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 14th April, 2021) The US "Rewards for Justice" program that targets people allegedly involved in terrorist activity violates the human rights of these individuals, UN human rights experts said on Wednesday.
"The United States' anti-terrorism program 'Rewards for Justice' is violating the human rights of some of the individuals it targets," the UN experts said in a statement.
The US program offers rewards of money for information about foreign individuals or entities allegedly involved in terrorist activity, but the targets have not been formally charged with any crimes, and thus have been denied their rights to due process of law, the statement noted.
Under the program, the US has offered rewards for officials in government institutions in Iran, Cuba and other countries, and has threatened to impose sanctions on the individuals if they do not cooperate with Washington's demands, the statement said.
Such sanctions violate basic human rights including the right to work, the right to reputation, the right to freedom of movement and other basic dignities, the statement added.
"Making an individual carry out tasks against their will under the threat of a penalty for not doing so amounts to forced labor as defined by agreements made through the International Labor Organization," Special Rapporteur Alena Douhan said in the statement. "I respectfully urge the US Government to review its Rewards for Justice Program in order to ensure that its activities are aligned with international law."
The US established the Rewards for Justice program in 1984 under the State Department's Diplomatic Security Service. Since its inception, the program has paid out more than $200 million in rewards to more than 200 people who provided information about targeted individuals, according to the State Department.
