Charleston shooting: UN experts deplore killings
Charleston shooting: UN experts deplore killings of African Americans and urge measures against racist crimes
GENEVA (19 June 2015) – Statement by the United Nations Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent. This statement is attributable to Ms. Mireille Fanon Mendes-France, current Chairperson of the expert group.
“We utterly condemn the appalling attack on the Emanuel African Methodist Church in Charleston, South Carolina this week and the killing of nine African Americans.
We welcome the prompt action by the authorities to investigate this hate crime. Every effort must be made to ensure the person guilty of this act is prosecuted and punished accordingly.
Urgent measures must be taken to prevent gun violence and racist crimes motivated by prejudice that affect the security of Afro-Americans, their communities and society as a whole.
We offer our heartfelt condolences to the people of the United States of America, especially the families and friends of those who were murdered while in worship at Church.”
ENDS