Roundup: UN review on U.S. human rights records shows not-so-bright picture

The United States has long been blaming other countries for violating human rights, but as stated by 122 UN member states and some 100 related domestic and international organizations during this week's review on its human rights records, the United States continues to bear witness to a number of issues which infringe on international benchmarks of equality, justice, and protection.

These include the use of capital punishment, racial, religious and sexual profiling and discrimination, excessive use of force by law enforcement agencies, torture allegations, and hate crimes, amongst others.

Over 70 points of concern and recommendations have been raised in a compilation prepared by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), to deal with problems ranging from justice administration, migrant rights and environmental issues, to counter-terrorism practices.

Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) Human Rights Watch (HRW) has brought to the fore a number of ratification shortcomings as well as national security, criminal justice, and privacy violations since the U.S.' first UPR took place in November 2010.

One topical issue under review is racial profiling and the excessive use of force by law enforcement following events in Ferguson in 2014 and Baltimore this year.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights urged the United States in 2014 to examine how race-related issues were affecting both law enforcement and justice administration at federal and state level.

The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) also voiced its concern that federal and state definitions of racial discrimination are not in line with its convention.

According to the U.S. national report, the Department of Justice has opened more than 20 investigations into police departments, and has convicted 254 police officers over the last five years.

Another key issue being addressed is the closure of Guantanamo Bay prison facility.

Following Obama's ambitions, and subsequent failure to close Guantanamo because of Republican opposition, the Cuba-based prison remains a contentious issue amid allegations of torture and lack of fair trials for its inmates.

A number of 242 detainees were interned in Guantanamo when Obama took office -- 116 have since been transferred from the military prison, a facility to which the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has visited more than 100 times since 2002.

The Committee Against Torture (CAT) voiced its concern that a torture offence has not yet been introduced and "reiterated its recommendation that torture be criminalized at the federal level."

The United States is also one of the two countries in the world not to have ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child, though it has signed and ratified two optional protocols relating to children in armed conflict and the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography.

A number of socio-economic recommendations and issues regarding access to basic services such as healthcare, education, water and sanitation have also been outlined.

The ratification of specific labor laws such as the Forced Labor Convention, one of the eight international fundamental conventions, has furthermore been encouraged by participatory bodies.

The Human Rights Committee also condemned the use of targeted killings carried out by unmanned aircraft in extraterritorial counter-terrorism operations while urging the United States to disclose criteria used for drone strikes as well as the legal basis for such attacks.

The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) working group, which is currently reviewing 14 countries so as to expand the promotion and protection of human rights on the ground, is scheduled to adopt the recommendations made to the United States on May 15. Endti