Amnesty International Report 2014/15 - Trinidad and Tobago

Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
Head of state: Anthony Thomas Aquinas Carmona
Head of government: Kamla Persad-Bissessar

Killings by the security forces, and torture and other ill-treatment of detainees, including deaths in custody, remained a concern. People continued to be sentenced to death. The state failed to tackle violence against LGBTI people.

Background

A second round of consultations on the reform of the Constitution was carried out in 2014, following a report by the Constitution Reform Commission and nationwide consultations in 2013.

The country continued to face a serious public security crisis: homicide rate remained at a high level with 403 murders reported by the police compared with 407 in 2013. In response, joint police and military patrols were deployed. In August 2014 the army's Defence Force Reserves were called to assist with street patrolling until 7 January 2015, despite serious concerns that the force was not trained to carry out these duties.

Prosecutor and senior attorney Dana Seetahal was assassinated by unidentified men in May 2014. She had been investigating high-profile cases including the kidnapping and murder of a businesswoman. An investigation into her killing was immediately opened by the authorities.

In August, pre-trial detainees in two prisons went on hunger strike to protest against the slow progress of their cases in the courts. According to the International Centre for Prison Studies, 43% of the prison population was in pre-trial detention.

Excessive use of force

Reports of killings by the security forces suggested that they may have been unlawful and contradicted the official claims of "exchange of gunfire" with criminal elements.

Hakeem Alexander, 16, and his cousin Tevin Alexander, 15, were killed on 9 June 2014 in Morvant, Port of Spain, when police were called to intervene in a shoot-out. Eyewitnesses alleged that the two boys were executed by police officers while on their knees with their hands up. An investigation into the incident was ongoing at the end of the year.

Torture and other ill-treatment

In December 2013, Jameson John allegedly suffered burns to his torso, leg and genitals while in police custody. Six police officers were charged with misconduct and were awaiting trial at the end of the year.

Deaths in custody

On 24 June, Jahwi Ghany died in police custody in Chaguanas. A first autopsy stated he had died from heart failure. A second autopsy ordered by his family found that his death had been caused by trauma to the head. An investigation by the Police Complaint Authority was ongoing at the end of the year.

Rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people

Although the Constitution Reform Commission recognized in 2013 the "high level of violence and abuse against LGBTI [people]", it failed to formulate recommendations towards achieving equality and ending discrimination. Laws criminalizing same-sex consensual acts and barring homosexuals from entering the country remained in place.

Death penalty

The death penalty continued to be mandatory for murder and death sentences were handed down. No executions have taken place since 1999. The 2013 report of the Constitution Reform Commission recommended the retention of the death penalty. In December, in response to the high homicide rate, Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar announced that she will seek to introduce new legislation to facilitate the resumption of executions.