Racism and the administration of justice

In 1994 up to a million men , women and children were slaughtered in Rwanda in just 100 days. The genocide showed how quickly racism- in this case in the form of ethnic hatred - can erupt into bloodshed and despair, particularly when it is fuelled by those in power or those seeing power. Racism, to varying degrees and in various forms, infects virtually every country of the world. The law and its administration, which should uphold the values of justice and equality, is one of the primary forces in opposing the effects of racism. Yet justice systems all too often fail in this purpose and instead mirror the prejudices of the society they serve. This report illustrates how racial discrimination in the administration of justice systematically denies certain people their human rights because of their colour, race, ethnicity, descent (including caste) or national origin. Based on research conducted by Amnesty International in recent years, it shows that members of ethnic minorities often suffer torture, ill-treatment and harassment at the hands of the police. In many parts of the world they face unfair trials and discriminatory sentencing which puts them at increased risk of harsh punishments, including the death penalty. Action to combat racism is needed urgently. This report concludes with recommendations on how governments can work to end racism in the administration of justice.