https://arab.news/yuef2
LONDON: Amnesty International has called for a global, legally binding treaty to regulate the production and use of electric shock equipment such as stun guns and electric shock batons.
The rights monitor said the “inherently abusive” equipment was being used by law enforcement agencies for “torture and other ill-treatment” in countries.
Electric shock equipment was being used in a range of detention settings, including prisons, mental health institutions, and migrant and refugee detention centers, the London-based group said in a report.
“Direct contact electric shock weapons can cause severe suffering, long-lasting physical disability and psychological distress. Prolonged use can even result in death,” said Patrick Wilcken, Amnesty International’s researcher on military, security, and policing issues.
The study also looked at the “escalating” use of projectile electric shock weapons, or PESWs, which attach to the target and can deliver an immobilizing shock.
According to the report, PESWs could sometimes have a legitimate role in law enforcement but were often misused, including cases of “unnecessary and discriminatory use.”
“Direct contact electric shock weapons need to be banned immediately and PESWs subject to strict human-rights-based trade controls,” Wilcken said.
He added that despite “clear human rights risks,” no global regulations control the production of and trade in electric shock equipment.
This lack of clarity is exacerbated in cases when PESWs are used for torture and other ill-treatment, as the reports often do not indicate whether the weapon was employed from a distance or was instead used in “drive-stun” mode as a direct-contact weapon.