United States civil rights activists pressed the United Nations to take more action against “Stand Your Ground” laws passed in over 20 American states.
The groups made their case in a hearing with the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
Sybrina Fulton, the mother of Trayvon Martin, explained in her testimony that her son was killed by a man who considered him a threat, and she brought up Stand Your Ground laws.
According to the committee report, in her testimony provided to the panel, Fulton asked the committee “to challenge the State Government to work with local authorities to repeal the Stand Your Ground law to make a future for people of color.”
Ron Davies, the father of Jordan Davies, a teenager shot and killed by a police officer in Florida, also provided testimony to the panel. The committee report noted that Davis requested that the committee “ask the State party to revise the Stand Your Ground laws, which violated human rights.”
Both Davies and Fulton’s testimonies were included in the Statements by Impacted Persons.
According to Reuters, UN committee Vice Chairman Noureddine Amir noted that African American males were seven times more likely to die by firearm homicide, citing Stand Your Ground laws as one of the causes. “I understand that these disparities arise from factors such as subconscious racial bias in shootings, the proliferation of Stand Your Ground laws and the existence of predominantly African American and economically depressed neighborhoods with escalated levels of violence,” he said.
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