SEATTLE, Washington — As countries around the world grapple to control the spread of COVID-19 and struggle to adapt to the societal changes and upheaval brought by the pandemic, many governments have imposed policies that undermine human rights. While some temporary restrictions are necessary to contain COVID-19, some governments have used the pandemic as an excuse to increase surveillance on citizens, persecute marginalized groups and commit other human rights abuses. The Protecting Human Rights During Pandemic Act responds to these rights violations.
The Protecting Human Rights During Pandemic Act
This bill acknowledges and directs the U.S. Government to oppose human rights violations that governments have taken in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. It states that the United States should lead the international community’s response to the pandemic and in doing so, should promote internationally-recognized human rights. The bill calls on the Department of State and USAID to provide foreign assistance directly and through NGOs, in a way that prioritizes democratic institutions, civil society and the free media. Furthermore, in responding to the pandemic, countries should respect and uphold human rights, including the rights to life and liberty, freedom of movement, speech, peaceful assembly, association, freedom of the press and freedom from arbitrary detention or invasion of privacy.
Notably, the Protecting Human Rights During Pandemic Act explains that any emergency restrictions that impact human rights should follow certain principles. Some of these principles are that restrictions should be limited in duration, be completely necessary to respond to the pandemic, be clearly communicated to the country’s population, be implemented transparently and be nondiscriminatory.
The bill declares that it is U.S. policy to protect human rights at home and abroad and to support the freedom of the press, which is vital to public dissemination and access to accurate information concerning COVID-19. The U.S. supports multilateral efforts to address the pandemic and opposes the use of the pandemic as a justification for governments to commit human rights violations, especially those without a scientific or public health justification.
State of Global Human Rights
As the Protecting Human Rights During Pandemic Act notes, many governments around the world have utilized the COVID-19 pandemic to justify human rights limitations and violations. According to Human Rights Watch, Indian authorities have allowed anti-muslim disinformation, which claims Muslims are purposefully spreading the virus. Journalists have been arrested in Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, Turkey and Venezuela simply for reporting on COVID-19. Additionally, authorities in Bolivia are weaponizing the pandemic to threaten political opponents with imprisonment for spreading misinformation about the virus.
Meanwhile, several governments, including Bangladesh, Ethiopia, India and Myanmar, have at some point imposed internet shutdowns, though some have reopened internet access due to political pressure. Cutting off access to the internet hurts people economically, hinders their ability to access life-saving information about the pandemic and can cause psychological distress, especially for people in marginalized communities. In addition, it is a violation of human rights.
According to the U.N. Committee on the Prevention of Torture, governments should “reduce prison populations wherever possible, by implementing schemes of early, provisional or temporary release” in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in prisons. Unfortunately, in many countries like Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Iran, Italy, Peru, Thailand and Venezuela, prison conditions are less than ideal. Human Rights Watch explains that “people in jails and prisons have protested overcrowding and poor hygienic and sanitary conditions that put them at greater risk of contracting COVID-19.”
Refugees, migrants and asylum seekers in countries with camps for internally displaced persons face similar threats as a result of overcrowding, weak sanitation and insufficient healthcare services. This problem exists in several countries like Bangladesh, Lebanon, Myanmar, Nigeria, Sudan and South Sudan. These are only some of the human rights threats and violations that have occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Status of the Bill
Representative James McGovern [D-MA-2], introduced H.R. 6986: Protecting Human Rights During Pandemic Act on May 22, 2020, in the House of Representatives. The bill, which has five cosponsors (3R, 2D), is in the first stage of the legislative process.
H.R. 6986 was referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and then referred to the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations on June 26, 2020.
A related bill in the Senate, S. 3819: Protecting Human Rights During Pandemic Act, was introduced on May 21, 2020, by Senator Edward Markey [D-MA] and has eight cosponsors (5R, 3D). The bill, which similarly encourages the protection and promotion of internationally-recognized human rights during the COVID-19 pandemic, was referred to the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.
The Need to Protect Human Rights
The promotion and protection of human rights is a morally imperative goal in its own right, but it is also vital to the global public health response to the pandemic. As the World Health Organization (WHO) explains, protecting human rights like freedom of the press can help fight COVID-19 since doing so ensures that accurate information will be made available and accessible to the public.
The United Nations has echoed this sentiment on numerous occasions. A recent U.N. report argued that xenophobia and discrimination are counterproductive to fighting the virus and noted that protecting an open internet allows people to access crucial information. This allows for data-driven responses that benefit everyone equally. Moreover, countries with strong social safety nets and solid healthcare systems are better equipped to deal with a crisis like COVID-19. The Protecting Human Rights During Pandemic Act aims to uphold and defend human rights in the wake of government crackdowns on universal rights and freedoms all around the world. As the U.N. Secretary-General articulated, “We are only as strong as the weakest health system in our interconnected world.”
– Sarah Frazer
Photo: Flickr