- Target:
- ISRAELI GOVERNMENT
- Region:
- Israel
The Israeli police has just acquired TASERS.
There has been NO public debate about the advisability of using these weapons & the restrictions that need be put on their use.
From reports of their use abroad, it is clear that their use in civil disturbances or regular policing is invariably a use of disproportionate force, and mostly to seek compliance even when no real danger to the police-officer exists.
It is feared that such weapons- as they are billed as "less lethal" or inaccurately as "non-lethal" thereby encourage their inappropriate & increased use, where firearms would never have been contemplated. Trained police have come to realise the care needed re firearms use- yet the TASER is commonly used where no one would contemplate a firearm- usually merely to coerce compliance in ordinary civil related circumstances, where brutal & dangerous weapons of this kind should not be needed.
It is contended that only an incompetent police force would be interested in a weapon of this kind without stringent restrictions on its use.
We believe that there may be a place for such a weapon against an armed terrorist, or armed felon- BUT TO USE IT AS A WAY TO MAKE ARRESTS EASIER OR TO CONTROL PEOPLE OR MAKE THEM COMPLY threatens our civil rights. We live in a freedom-loving democratic society- and TASER use- as shown from so many examples- threatens the public & undermines law-abiding people's sense of freedom.
A horrific weapon- should not be used in regular civil situations just to overcome a natural inability to follow, often unreasonable orders or a need for a policeman to "lord" over a person. In the Mid-East context- with the mentality of people as it is - THIS IS A MAJOR STEP TO MAKING THE PUBLIC AREA UNNECESSARILY MORE VIOLENT.
Having seen how TASER use is regularly abused by police in the USA, CANADA and UK & since we feel that such a weapon in the civil context inherently constitutes a disproportionate use of force & is cruel, harmful & has unclear medical consequences- there being a large number of reported deaths & a concern at its use against youth, WE FEEL THAT TASERS SHOULD BE IMMEDIATELY BANNED FOR USE BY THE ISRAELI POLICE, pending a proper investigation at to the dangers of the weapon, a public debate on the subject clarifying under what circumstances such weapons might be used.
We believe that a weapon -the TASER- whose regular use, as has been shown from experience abroad, is simply to make arrests easier or to force compliance with any police-demand, appropriate or not- threatens regular civil rights in a freedom-loving society. Its inherent mis-use, together with its aggressive marketing as a non-lethal weapon- works to increase its use in inappropriate situations, where there is absolutely no danger to the police. It's popularity with police forces- is due to police incompetency- and we are concerned that the Israeli police wishes to encourage TASER use & purchases in large numbers.
WE ASK THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT TO BAN TASER USE BY THE POLICE.
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The Campaign To Ban Taser Use By Israeli Police petition to ISRAELI GOVERNMENT was written by David Schonberg and is in the category Human Rights at GoPetition.