Government failed to protect Gayle from torture
November 11, 2005
THE Inter American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) has ruled that the police investigation of Michael Gayle's death was botched, and has called on the government to publicly apologise to his family and pay compensation to his next of kin and mother Jenny Cameron.
The commission, whose ruling alleged that Gayle's experience was akin to torture, also urged government to open a new investigation into the human rights abuses committed against Gayle, and to identify, prosecute and punish all the persons responsible for the violations.
Yesterday, at a press conference at the Stella Maris church hall, Carolyn Gomes, executive director of Jamaicans for Justice, said that for every year that the government fails to implement the recommendations, it would "add another year of shame to Jamaica."
Jamaica's attorney general AJ Nicholson refused to comment, saying he had not yet seen report and its recommendations.
Gayle, a mentally ill man, was beaten to death by soldiers and police at a barricade at Wint Road, Olympic Gardens in Kingston.
Author: Claudienne Edwards
Source: Jamaica Observer
