by Mumia Abu-Jamal
Have you heard, read or seen television coverage on the critical report released by the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ)?
Chances are, you haven't.
The ICJ, which was long a vocal critic of the former Soviet Union during the Cold War years for its repression of dissent, issued a slap at the United States -- and American media ignored it.
The ICJ Commission on Capital Punishment found the U.S. has largely unfulfilled international human rights and anti-discrimination accords.
In its 260-page report, the ICJ declared American administration of death sentences was arbitrary, and racially discriminatory, adding, prospects of a fair hearing for capital offenders cannot be ... assured.
The U.S., which ceaselessly and hypocritically bellows whenever other countries violate international law and accords, has no rap when it gets busted for doing the same thing.
The ICJ missions members --- distinguished jurists from India, Sweden, Nigeria and Australia --- provided statistical data revealing that 40% of the people executed in the U.S. between 1973 and 1995 were Black.
This, in a nation where Blacks constitute 6% (males) of the total U.S. population.
The ICJs Secretary General Adama Dieng, on July 16, 1996, in releasing the report, noted it provides a disturbing account of the difficulties involved -- even for a country which is regarded by many as the worlds leading democracy and protector of basic individual rights and freedoms -- in ensuring the implementation of the death penalty is in accordance with accepted international norms ...
The jurists body was particularly troubled by the influence of electoral politics on judges and District Attorneys (D.A.s).
In many U.S. states where the death penalty exists, D.A.s were elected quite often on the basis of their performance or promise of rigorously seeking out the death penalty, the report noted.
The (ICJ) mission has found that among elected judges, those who covet higher office -- or those who merely wish to retain their status as judges -- must constantly proclaim their fealty to the death penalty, the report declared.
In critiques of both trial and appellate jurists, the ICJ decried partisan elections, and found, The prospect of elected judges bending to political pressures in capital cases is both real as well as dangerous to the principle of fair and impartial tribunals.
None of this was worthy of inclusion in your major corporate media, which chose to act as if it didnt happen.
This, apparently, because of its critical analysis of imperial democracy, was some news not fit to print.
Column Written 8/15/96
Copyright 1996 Mumia Abu-Jamal
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