Brutality towards individuals with psychosocial disability to be investigated – FBC Information

By Last updated May 18, 2021

Police brutality and other forms of cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment of people with psychosocial disabilities who live on the streets need to be investigated.

This was the comment of the Director of the Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission, Ashwin Raj, following reports of such inhuman behavior by law enforcement officers received by the Disability COVID-19 Civil Protection Committee.

Disability COVID-19 Chairman of the Civil Protection Committee Mere Roden said they had received complaints from their representative who works with disabled people on the street that people with psychosocial disabilities were treated cruelly and degrading by some police officers during the lockdown and curfew.

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According to Roden, five people with mental disabilities had to jump over the dam at the bowling club on the weekend of April 24, 2021, and one had to take off his pants as it was assumed that he was wearing correction service PT pants.

She adds that another incident was recorded during Suva’s blackout weekend on April 30 through May 3, where police continue to force these people to remain at their location, thereby preventing them from having access to bathing, drinking water and others have public sanitary and sanitary facilities.

Roden says they sent an email to the acting police superintendent asking for a meeting.

Ashwin Raj, director of FHRADC, says they are in solidarity with the Fiji Disabled Peoples Federation.

Raj adds that law enforcement agencies need to show compassion and be sensitive to the specific vulnerabilities of people with mental disabilities.

He said the commission had stressed the importance of dealing with vulnerable groups with sensitivity and empathy during human rights training sessions with the Fiji police force.

The director of the commission says they will conduct independent investigations into such matters.

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