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News > Jamaica

Gang-Related Violence Forces New State of Emergency in Jamaica

  • Security forces patrol the streets, Jamaica, Dec, 2022.

    Security forces patrol the streets, Jamaica, Dec, 2022. | Photo: Twitter/ @trtworld

Published 7 December 2022
Opinion

PM Holness will coordinate efforts with the FBI to disrupt transnational gangsters who direct and finance criminals operating in his country.

On Tuesday, Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness reimposed a state of emergency to fight gang-related violence in the country.

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The state of exception will apply for two weeks and will govern 6 out of 14 Jamaican jurisdictions, including Montego Bay, a tourist destination of international importance.

Besides being in effect in the capital city Kingston, the security measure covers the parishes of St. James, Westmoreland, Hanover, Clarendon, St. Catherine, and St. Andrew.

According to the decree of the executive branch, the state of exception allows the authorities to arrest people and search properties without the need for a prior court order. This provision prompted criticism from opposition leaders and human rights defenders who fear that the police abuse or mass detentions could reappear.

In a televised address, Holness dismissed those questions, saying his administration seeks to save lives in the face of a "very serious" criminal threat. He also emphasized that the state of exception is not unconstitutional and is only used for extraordinary reasons.

The Jamaican prime minister will travel to the United States to hold meetings with authorities from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) whose purpose is to coordinate efforts to disrupt transnational gangsters who direct and finance criminals operating in his country.

Jamaica has one of the highest crime rates in the Caribbean. So far this year, authorities have recorded 1,421 homicides, most of which have been related to gang activity.

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