UN human rights agency to hold forum on minorities treatment

Over 500 participants from all regions will gather here on Nov. 24 and 25 to discuss key issues of global concern regarding the treatment of minorities by criminal justice systems, the UN human rights agency OHCHR announced on Thursday.

According to the OHCHR, the upcoming UN Forum on Minority Issues, the eighth session of its kind, is also aimed to make specific recommendations to protect and promote the rights of minorities and to make the voices of minorities from around the world to be heard.

The forum will be organized and guided by the UN Special Rapporteur on minority issues, Rita Izsak, and chaired by minority rights expert Joshua Castellino.

"Globally, persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities face recurrent violations of their rights when they come into contact with the criminal justice system," Izsak said.

"They are at risk of discrimination in all stages of the criminal justice process, from police stops through pre-trial detention to sentencing, and some even experience instances of harassment or violence," he added.

According to him, the Forum on Minority Issues is a unique opportunity for states, minority communities, UN bodies and specialized agencies, academics and other experts, to discuss the various challenges that minorities face globally in the administration of criminal justice.

"I am looking forward to hearing the views and statements of all participants which will help shaping the final recommendations of the Forum," the Special Rapporteur noted.

The Forum's recommendations on guaranteeing the rights of minorities in the criminal justice system will also be presented to the UN Human Rights Council in March 2016. Endit