USA had to face the UN’s main human rights body on Monday, its first-ever review in five years. The review highlighted the abducting and detentions of migrant children and the killings of innocent Black people during the Trump administration’s tenure.
Critics from Iran, Syria, Venezuela, Russia, and China questioned and analyzed the US record on human rights. The Human Rights Council allowed the US its turn for a regular examination of every UN member. Allies of Trump also offered criticism and pointers but had a more diplomatic approach.
Almost 120 countries stood up for slots to raise questions against USA and human rights, in the three half-hour session that was a follow up on a report in the month of August this year about the US rights record over the past several years. All counties wanted to know the steps the US authorities are taking to improve it.
The US Ambassador “Andrew Bremberg” said that the strength of the US democratic system remains in the fact that “it allows for continued scrutiny, advocacy and debate, which promotes progress and reform,” and said “we are willing to openly acknowledge our shortcomings and make necessary improvements.”
US officials variously spoke of a reducing number of inmates at the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay. The Officials also pointed to an investigation into the killing of George Floyd, a Black man who died after a Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee on the neck for nearly eight minutes causing his death earlier this year. This had raised a massive outrage in the USA and the world over prompting several rounds of demonstrations and live protests in the USA and several other countries. The social media too noted a volley of protests and the “Black Lives Matter” garnered a lot of support.
