JFJ vows to challenge SOE if it gets valid complaint

By Kimone Witter 

 

Human rights advocacy group Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ) has signalled its intent to challenge detentions under the States of Public Emergency, once it receives a valid complaint.

 

JFJ Executive Director Mickel Jackson contended that the constitutional standard of urgent and paramount necessity for the emergency measure has not been met.

 

She insisted that the group will challenge the state of emergency once it receives a valid complaint, arguing that the measure "has been declared unconstitutionally and unlawfully if persons are detained". 

 

Speaking Thursday on the Morning Agenda on Power 106, Ms Jackson said the advocacy group is disturbed that the government once again has declared States of Public Emergency without tabling the necessary regulations that will guide how they will operate. 

 

She complained that the last regulations were too broad and allowed the security forces to search a person even outside of the area under the SOE. 

 

"The regulation, for example, said that the police can pull you over and ask you certain questions and you're compelled to answer. Are we expecting those sort of things in this regulation that we are asking to be tabled? We have to have these types of guidelines expressly stated, so the public must know how they are to interact with the police; they know what is expected of them," she maintained.

 

Prime Minister Andrew Holness on Tuesday announced states of emergency for Westmoreland, Hanover, St. James, Clarendon, St. Catherine and all police divisions in Kingston and St. Andrew, with the exception of St. Andrew North and St. Andrew Central.

 

The government on Thursday issued regulations to guide the states of emergency in the western parishes of St. James, Westmoreland and Hanover.