Intervention on Minorities in the Criminal Justice System Human Rights Council 5 Special Session on Minority Issues Geneva, November XX 2015 Thank you XXX. The United States thanks Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues Rita Izsak for her report on the rights of persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious, and linguistic minorities, with its focus on the experience of members of minorities within criminal justice systems. This provides a helpful foundation for the Draft Recommendations before us at this session. Regarding the Secretariat's Draft Recommendations, the United States fully supports the critical goal of addressing the systemic nature of social and economic exclusion and political marginalization. The Department of Justice Community Relations Service is just one mechanism used in the United States to resolve community conflicts and tensions arising from differences of race, national origin, gender, gender identity sexual orientation, religion, and disability. We appreciate the draft recommendations' emphasis on training, community engagement, improving diversity throughout the system, and independent oversight. The State Department's Office of Criminal Justice Assistance and Partnership provides technical expertise in police, prosecutorial, judicial, and correctional development and reform and training to strengthen criminal justice procedures based on the rule of law in countries throughout the world Finally, we heartily concur with the Draft Recommendations' comments about the essential role civil society defenders play in protecting the human rights of persons belonging to minorities. States and international organizations have critical roles but civil society is our indispensable partner. Without civil society this work cannot be done. Thank you.