At least two people were sentenced to death; no executions were carried out. There were reports of excessive use of force by members of the security forces and of ill-treatment and discrimination against migrants.
Police and security forces
There were continuing reports of excessive use of force by members of the Royal Bahamas Police Force.
Asylum-seekers' and migrants' rights
There were reports of ill-treatment at the Carmichael Road Detention Centre which holds migrants,including children with their families. In February, a national newspaper published several allegations of recent ill-treatment of detainees. One man, for example, alleged that he was beaten so severely that he lost several fingernails and toenails. The findings of a Department of Immigration commission set up to investigate the allegations had not been made public by the end of the year.
There were reports of ill-treatment by immigration officials and members of the security forces during the deportation of migrants, the vast majority of whom were Haitians. Violence against women
In March, at the UN Human Rights Council, the government rejected recommendations to criminalize rape within marriage. However, in July, a bill was introduced to Parliament to amend provisions of the 1991 Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Act which exclude rape within marriage from the definition of rape. Discussions were continuing at the end of the year.
Death penalty
At least two people were sentenced to death.
In August the authorities announced that four death row prisoners had had their death sentences confirmed. Their sentences had been reviewed following a 2006 ruling by the UK-based Judicial Committee of the Privy Council that the mandatory death penalty is unconstitutional in the Bahamas. In October, the authorities began proceedings to move to execute one of the four men, but they were halted after his lawyers lodged an appeal before the Privy Council. Fourteen other men were awaiting resentencing at the end of the year.
At the adoption of the UN Universal Periodic Review outcome in March, the Bahamas rejected a wide range of recommendations regarding the death penalty.
International protection of human rights is in danger of unravelling as short-term national self-interest and draconian security crackdowns have led to a wholesale assault on basic freedoms and rights, warned Amnesty International as it launched its annual assessment of human rights around the world. “Your rights are in jeopardy: they are being treated with utter contempt by many governments around the world,” said Salil Shetty, Secretary General of Amnesty International.
This has been a devastating year for those seeking to stand up for human rights and for those caught up in the suffering of war zones. Governments pay lip service to the importance of protecting civilians. And yet the world's politicians have miserably failed to protect those in greatest need. Amnesty International believes that this can and must finally change.
Commonwealth of the Bahamas Head of state Queen Elizabeth II, represented by Head of government Perry Gladstone Christie At least six people were reportedly killed by police in disputed circumstances. …
Head of state Queen Elizabeth II, represented by Arthur Hanna Head of government Hubert Ingraham Death penalty retentionist Population .3 million Life expectancy 73.2 years Under-5 mortality (m/f)14/12 per 1,000 …
On the launch of its 2015 State of the World report, Amnesty International USA urged President Obama to use his last year in office to bring U.S. laws and policies in line with international human rights standards.
International protection of human rights is in danger of unravelling as short-term national self-interest and draconian security crackdowns have led to a wholesale assault on basic freedoms and rights, warned Amnesty International as it launched its annual assessment of human rights around the world. “Your rights are in jeopardy: they are being treated with utter contempt by many governments around the world,” said Salil Shetty, Secretary General of Amnesty International.