What is racial profiling?
Amnesty International defines racial profiling as the targeting of individuals and groups by law enforcement officials, even partially, on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, or religion, except where there is trustworthy information, relevant to the locality and timeframe, that links persons belonging to one of the aforementioned groups to an identified criminal incident or scheme.
A breach of international law
Racial/ethnic profiling is a violation of international conventions such as the Anti-Racism Convention (ICERD) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). These conventions explicitly prohibit the differential treatment of individuals based on race and require states to actively combat all forms of racism.
Furthermore, racial/ethnic profiling goes against the principle of non-discrimination, which guarantees the right to be free from discrimination based on race, origin, or religion. This right is protected by Article 2 and 26 of the UN ICCPR, Article 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), and Article 3, paragraph 3 of the Basic Law. The exercise of police powers without concrete suspicion and based solely on these attributes is always in violation of human rights.
A discriminatory practice
Police statistics reveal that the practice of racial/ethnic profiling yields minimal search results. Moreover, racial discrimination through profiling undermines the fundamental principle of human rights, which is the equal dignity of all individuals. It perpetuates existing social and individual stereotypes and prejudices. For those who are targeted, being subjected to such controls in public is a degrading experience, and unfortunately, many individuals encounter it on a regular basis.
READ MORE ABOUT RACIAL/ETHNIC PROFILING HERE