The shocking scene in the book that shows injustice is when the police officers   verbally abused and physically assaulted Raphael. Raphael is shocked that this is happening “I don’t know whether he hit or with what, but I was knocked to the floor. My chair was turned over and the side of my face was split.

This is happening because Raphael has found a bag that belongs to someone very important. This bag is a critical part of a case that the police are charged with investigating. Raphael wouldn’t give the bag to them because he knows they will bury the evidence in the bag. Raphael won’t give up the location of the bag so the policy intimidate him through threats and violence to tell them. “I swear to God, sir. I swear on my mother’s soul: I did not find a bag.”

 

This incident violates the UN Rights of a child because as it states in article 19, you have the right to be protected from being hurt or mistreated, in body or mind.

I feel that this is ethically wrong, because police officers are there to protect you and help you if you’re harmed, but in this scene the police officers are doing the opposite by abusing Raphael, physically and mentally. The Police threaten Raphael “I’m going to kill you, you liar. He lunged at me, and I was falling backwards, but the policeman had lifted me and the suit man had my throat… I was so frightened”. Here, the Police are not in compliance with Article 19, nor their own ethics.

 

I also feel that this is morally wrong, because it is horrifying to see a child getting hurt and abused by someone you should be able to trust. No one should hurt someone who is weaker than them, or who needs care and protection like a child. Children have rights and you shouldn’t violate them.

 

After I have viewed the UN rights, I discovered a shocking disregard for the rights of children throughout this passage, and a number of crimes have been perpetrated.  The police are breaking the law, but assaulting a witness. Even if they consider Raphael a criminal they are breaking the law by assaulting him and holding him with no evidence. The fact that he is a child, makes this all the worse.

 

I would expect the police to get enough evidence so firstly they can arrest Raphael and once they have questioned him, then press the charges. As he is not an adult, he should also have an adult with him when being questioned by the police. If a family member can’t be present, a children’s advocate should be involved. 

 

No acsess to food or clean water