The United States should take measures that would reduce the population in detention centers given the risk of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) transmission, UN experts from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said in a press release on Friday
UNITED NATIONS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 29th May, 2020) The United States should take measures that would reduce the population in detention centers given the risk of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) transmission, UN experts from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said in a press release on Friday.
"We call on the United States government to act now. Failure to take timely action may have far-reaching consequences," the experts said. "People in detention throughout the US are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 and for many, their pre-existing medical conditions increase the risk of death."
The experts pointed out that in closed and overcrowded conditions, common for detention places, it is hard to observe basic social distancing and hygiene rules, adding that those at higher risk must be immediately identified and release measures should be implemented.
"Minorities, including African-Americans, are disproportionately represented, both among the prison population and among those succumbing to COVID-19," the experts noted.
Therefore, any failure to effectively alleviate the resulting risk is also an issue of racial discrimination, they added.
With regards to migrants, held in overcrowded and unsanitary detention, the UN experts said authorities must urgently use readily available alternatives to prevent a COVID-19 outbreak, also urging to suspend immigration raids, deportations, and other forms of forced returns.
