Chuck defends SOEs, says rights of detainees will be upheld

Justice Minister Delroy Chuck today defended the Government's imposition of states of public emergency in seven parishes and said that provisions are in place to uphold the rights of detainees.

The security measures were imposed last week as the government sought to combat crime, particularly murders.

Human rights lobby group Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ) has spoken out against the states of public emergency and chided the government for not disclosing sufficient information on the Emergency Powers Review Tribunal, the body to which detainees can challenge their detention.

Citing that and other issues, the lobby group has urged the Senate not to support an extension of the states of public emergency, which is currently debating the matter in the Upper House.

Today, Chuck called for the human rights group to actively exercise its mandate of upholding the rights of detainees.

“The only thing I would say to JFJ, since I am aware they do not like persons being detained, I would say make yourselves available. If the SOE continues, I am sure opportunity will be afforded them to go and interview persons who have been detained to see if they are being treated in any manner that is unlawful,” said Chuck.

He was speaking with journalists during today's staging of a justice fair by the Legal Aid Council at the Harmony Beach Park in Montego Bay, St James, one of the parishes where a state of public emergency is now in effect.

JFJ had cited concerns about the regulations governing the security measures and the retention of detainees' fingerprints and other biometric data, among other issues.

The JFJ, in a media release, also stated that parliamentarians have a duty to uphold the Constitution and called for the composition of the review tribunal to be published.

But, Chuck pointed out that the Office of the Public Defender will be on hand to monitor the conditions under which detainees are processed.

“One of the things we will ensure is that our people must be treated lawfully and their rights and freedoms must be respected as much as possible. But where we get information from the security forces that many of them are responsible for some of the criminality in their communities, then we have to act,” said Chuck.

The states of public emergency are slated to end on Tuesday, November 29.

- Christopher Thomas 

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