Amnesty International warned about large number of deaths and rapes in South African police custody in its 2011 summary.
Amnesty International flagged police torture, deaths in custody, extrajudicial killings and threats to the work of human rights defenders as matters of concern in South Africa. It cited Independent Complaints Directorate (ICD) figures for April 2009 to March 2010 - which recorded five direct complaints against the police of torture and 920 complaints of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm by the police - and only some of which were being investigated for evidence of torture. Seven of 294 deaths in custody in 2010 were linked to torture and 90 others to “injuries sustained in custody.
The ICD also investigated 24 complaints of rape by police officers. Also of concern to Amnesty were the changes to the Criminal Procedures Act that allows police to use deadly force against a suspect resisting or fleeing arrest, where they believed there is a risk of “future death†if the suspect escaped. A.I. warned: “This proposed change allowed for the use of deadly force “in circumstances beyond those allowed by international human rights standardsâ€.The report also raised concerns over threats to freedom of expression and the work of human rights defenders.
It cited, among others, the trial of 12 supporters of housing rights movement Abahlali baseMjondolo on charges relating to violence in the Kennedy Road informal settlement in 2009 and the unlawful arrest of Sunday Times journalist Mzilikazi wa Afrika after his reports on an alleged hit squad linked to senior Limpopo provincial government members. Also of concern were ANC plans for a media appeals tribunal and the tabling of the draconian Protection of Information Bill. Amnesty International did not however condemn the well-recorded, ongoing genocide of the Afrikaners and the unconstitutional hatespeech targetting the white minority for genocide by the ANC regime.
http://www.iol.co.za/news/politics/amnesty-red-flag-police-brutality-1.1068706
sources:
Mail & Guardian: 866 people died in SA police custody in 2009/2010 bookyear 2010 http://bit.ly/pO2pPm
Man dies in police custody: KwaThema Sept 8 2011:
• by journalist Mpho Morereane : http://www.looklocal.co.za/looklocal/content/en/springs/springs-news-general?oid=4700604&sn=Detail&pid=490323&Man-dies-in-police-cells
picture of Sgt Andries Tshabalala, constable Velley Notobeng and res/const Nkoshinathi Jingisa with confiscated loot: http://www.looklocal.co.za/looklocal/content/en/springs/springs-news-general?oid=4700604&sn=Detail&pid=490323&Man-dies-in-police-cells
• picture of unnamed arrested man who died in police custody: http://www.looklocal.co.za/looklocal/content/en/springs/springs-news-general?oid=4700604&sn=Detail&pid=490323&Man-dies-in-police-cells
