JAMAICANS for Justice (JFJ) says that the country continues to have what it called an “appalling” human rights record, including an increase in extra-judicial killings to almost 400 people in 2010, compared to the 253 recorded in 2009.

The human rights organisation was speaking at the unveiling of its report into human rights following the state of emergency last year. Co-authored with the George Washington University Law School, the report was recently presented to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) in Washington DC.

“The findings of the report reflect a grim state of affairs where the respect for many human rights has declined further since the State of Emergency,” said JFJ in a statement.

The organisation further argued that the increase in extra-judicial killings is ‘encouraged’ by a lack of impunity and accountability.

“The Government’s legislative approach and heavy-handed ‘crime-fighting’ has only served to compound the problem, resulting in further curtailment of rights including a surge in arbitrary and prolonged detention and arrests and holding citizens for 60 days without bail. The result of this is an alienation of the populace and an even more difficult environment for fighting crime,” said JFJ.

JFJ said that response to the report by the Government failed to address the conditions outlined in the report and blamed a lack of resources for not making certain improvements.

“Despite references to legislative and institutional steps that are being taken to curtail human rights violations, the reality on the ground is that the government continues to fail to honour its obligations to safeguard and protect the human rights of its citizens. Instead of strengthening its compliance with the American Convention of Human Rights, the government continues to treat rights as hindrances to ‘fighting’ crime and as privileges to be bestowed on the worthy (usually those from upper reaches of society),” said JFJ.