Dear Director Marshall:
We are writing to express our concern over allegations of
ill-treatment by U.S. Marshals during the April 15-19 period of World
Bank/IMF protests. Human Rights Watch is the largest, U.S.-based
international human rights organization. We monitor human rights
around the world, including in the United States.
We have several questions regarding allegations of ill-treatment:
As you know, many protesters and others who were arrested during the demonstrations between April 15 and 19 have complained that they were not provided with adequate food, water, bathroom facilities, legal counsel, phone access or medical attention or medication. Knowing that mass arrests were likely, how did you prepare to ensure that there would be food and water available for the detainees?
How was access to phones, legal counsel, bathroom facilities and medical attention ensured? How often were meals served? How was water provided? Were all detainees allowed to make a legal or other phone call while in detention? If a detainee requested his or her medication, how did U.S. Marshal's respond? Were detainees handcuffed for most of the time they were in detention? If so, why was such handcuffing necessary?
Many protesters reported that they were threatened, punched, and shoved into doors, walls, and parts of transport buses by U.S. Marshals while handcuffed. We have received reports that U.S. Marshals threatened male and female protesters in detention with sexual abuse by other inmates. Those who spoke up about abusive treatment reportedly were singled out for additional threats or mistreatment.
Marshals also reportedly made comments indicating that the detainees would be subjected to abuses if they did not provide their names. According to protesters' accounts we have received, the protesters believed threats and abusive treatment were used to pressure the protesters to provide their names and be processed out.
How will you investigate these allegations of physical and verbal abuse? How should a detainee file a complaint if he or she witnessed or experienced ill-treatment?
As you know, many of those detained were from out of town. Most will not be able to pursue complaints, even if they did file them initially. Will you conduct any type of review, absent complaints, regarding these allegations?
Are there video cameras in the holding areas that might help determine the veracity of some of these complaints? Have any such videotapes been preserved?
We look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
Allyson Collins
Human Rights Watch
Cc: Office of Internal Affairs
The Honorable Todd W. Dillard
