The selected video for this study refers to the U.S State Department Human Rights report on Uzbekistan. The video gives a brief overview of the U.S State Department Human Rights report on Uzbekistan. It provides shocking revelation of human rights violation initiated by the State on its citizens.
Human rights are a policy issue. This is because where human rights violations are prevalent; the citizens would not be able to conduct their socio-economic activities effectively. State's policy is a constituent element of Crimes against Humanity as stipulated in article 7 of the Rome Statute.
The Causal Factors addressed
Two main factors are mentioned in the video that causes human rights violation. The State however cites other factors that make it invade and arrest its citizens (U.S State department, 2014). However, these reasons are just scapegoat put forth to justify State’s actions. Causal factors addressed in the video include:
Political factors
Uzbekistan authoritarian regime is out to ensure that its political opponents diminish in oblivion. They use force to suppress and intimidate oppositionists so as they can continue ruling the country (U.S State department, 2014). Some of the people opposed to this regime are arrested in pretext of fighting against drugs. Other citizens are arrested for allegedly ‘sabotaging the State.'
Religious Intolerance
People govern the State from a particular religious sect. The authority takes advantage of the power they possess to suppress other religious sects within the country. Matilda Bozna, an Australian lawyer, argues that some citizens have been imprisoned for 12 years for their religious beliefs rather than the fight against narcotics. These people are later tortured, and confession extracted from them which is used by the State to prosecute them.
Policy Implication and Recommendations
There were no policy implication and recommendations addressed in the video to tackle the problem.
Budgetary or Financial issues Discussed
There were no budgetary or financial issues discussed in the video.
Future Implications Discussed in the Video
The video asserts that there is a growing concern in the west that the human rights violation in Uzbekistan threatens the country’s political stability. It is feared that there is a potential uprising which may lead to civil war in the country (U.S State department, 2014). It is also feared that the State may continue killing and maiming innocent citizens in the name of containing drugs, terrorism, and State sabotage. Wrongful acts that result in human right violations engages the responsibility of the state to make full reparation for an injury caused. It is imperative that in the future the State should initiate investigations with a view of providing the victims with an effective remedy.
Other Content-Specific Information Relevant in the Video
False Imprisonment and Access to Justice
Uzbekistan citizens have been subjected to false imprisonment and denied access to justice. Evidence against them has been retracted illegally just to implicate them in the courts. It is indicated in the video that a doctor's wife was imprisoned on the false pretext of drug trafficking. Her husband was later sentenced to 12 year's imprisonment on the same charges. The State cited article 273 of the criminal code which forbids selling of drugs. Instead of the courts litigating these matters in an impartial way, they propagate State’s illegality by ratifying their actions.
Terrorism
It appears that the State of Uzbekistan is highly affected by terrorism activities. The State is doing so little to curb the menace. Instead, it has involved itself in name calling and shifts blame to wherever it can. For instance, in February 1999, 16 people were killed in a car bomb around the Capital city. The government blamed the Islamic movement of Uzbekistan, and that was designated by U.S as a terrorist group.
Basic Elements of Crime
Actus Reus (Actual act)
Actus Reus is an element of a crime which shows that actual act of crime was committed and in fact took place. Independent of the motive, Actus Reus establishes a prima facie case that a crime was committed. In this case, the State committed various atrocities against its citizens. Not only did the dog impound on those opposed to the authoritarian regime but also false imprisonment was imposed on innocent citizens seen as a threat to the ruling class.
Mens Rea
The element shows the intent to commit a crime. It refers to whether the criminal intended to commit crime or not. In this case, it is obvious that the State intentionally committed these crimes as part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against its civilian population, with knowledge of attacking and repressing them.
Criminology Theory
Rational Choice Theory
The theory asserts that people act in their self-interest and make decisions to commit a crime after assessing the repercussions. In this case, the political class commits the crimes in their self-interest.
References
U.S. State Department. (2014, Sept 18). ‘The war on drugs meet the war on terror’ [video file
Retrieved from http://digital.films.com/play/ZRFSWL]
