DATE=5/10/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=U-S / TORTURE (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-262189
BYLINE=LISA SCHLEIN
DATELINE=GENEVA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: The top U-S human rights official says the
United States is committed to eliminating torture from
the American criminal justice system. Allegations of
U-S torture were contained in a recent report issued
by the human rights group Amnesty International. As
Lisa Schlein reports from Geneva, the United States
has challenged some of the allegations but
acknowledged that problems do exist.
TEXT: U-S Assistant Secretary of State Harold Koh
says the U-S record on torture is not perfect. But,
he says torture is a criminal offence in every U-S
state and people suspected of misconduct are brought
to trial.
Mr. Koh says it is easy to criticize the United States
because it is an open society and its human rights
record is an open book. He says the same cannot be
said for many other countries around the world.
///KOH ACT///
There are 194 countries in the world. We
believe that the U-S human rights record, and
particularly its record on torture ranks near
the very top. We think that, obviously, there
are problems which we need to address and which
we are addressing. Our report exhaustively
details the efforts we are taking to address
those problems.
///END ACT///
Mr. Koh rejects a report by the human rights group
Amnesty International. The report condemns the U-S
for, what it calls institutionalized forms of torture,
especially within the justice system. It says what it
calls the increasingly punitive approach toward
offenders in the United States is leading to practices
that facilitate torture and other inhuman practices.
Amnesty International notes the rising U-S prison
population is contributing to what it says is
widespread ill treatment of men, women and children in
custody.
Amnesty mentions a number of cases of alleged U-S
police brutality. Mr. Koh says the U-S government
welcomes criticism from human rights organizations and
the media. But, he says the Amnesty Report is riddled
with mistakes.
///2ND KOH ACT///
To take some of the very high profile cases that
were mentioned, virtually all of them were
subject to some sort of federal civil rights
prosecution. Some of the most high profile
cases are ones in which convictions have been
obtained. We are human beings, imperfect human
beings working within a system of universal
human rights and we are trying to do our very
best.
///END ACT///
Mr. Koh says the U-S government absolutely rejects the
notion that it takes a half-hearted approach toward
torture. He says his government is committed to
wiping out torture wherever it exists. The U-S
delegation will appear before the U-N committee
Thursday to answer questions about human rights
issues. (SIGNED)
NEB/LS/GE/KBK
10-May-2000 11:57 AM EDT (10-May-2000 1557 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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