U.N. to review U.S. human rights record

GENEVA, Switzerland, Nov. 3 (UPI) -- The United States is likely to be grilled about capital punishment during a U.N. review of its human rights record, Human Rights Watch said Wednesday.

U.S. officials are scheduled to appear Friday before the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

HRW predicted they will also be asked about the practice of sentencing juvenile offenders to life without parole and about unequal treatment of different races in the criminal justice system. The treatment of detainees at Guantanamo and of illegal immigrants is also likely to be covered.

The appearance is the first for the United States. The United Nations has begun doing universal periodic reviews of its 192 member states, to be conducted on a four-year cycle.

U.S. officials prepared a 25-page review of the country's human rights record and other groups, including HRW, have also prepared reports.

"The United States is going to be on the spot over some glaring problems in its human rights record -- from the death penalty to unnecessary detention of immigrants," said Antonio Ginatta, U.S. advocacy director at Human Rights Watch, who plans to attend session in Geneva. "This is a chance for the U.S. to confirm its commitment to human rights by accepting the criticism and making improvements."