thereby binding on the United States. However, in defiance of and despite special appeals from that international body, the United States of America had carried out death sentences against the petitioners Terry Roach and Jay Pinkerton, and subsequently, in the case Stanford v. Kentucky, the United States Supreme Court had upheld the death penalty for minors and persons who were mentally retarded, asserting that it did not need to take into consideration the international standards of human rights. In the Spring of 1990, the State of Louisiana had carried out the death penalty against Mr. Prejean, an African-American, who had been a minor as well as mentally retarded at the time of the crime, and who had been convicted by an all-white jury. 55. The Government of Japan also persisted in violating clear standards of human rights law in continuing police cell detention (daiyo kangoku) and in denying the right to counsel for indigent detainees for 23 days and at all times during police cell interrogation. The European Commission on Human Rights had found six days in police custody to be too long, whereas in Japan, suspects were held for up to 23 days. Regarding the right to counsel, Japan had gravely violated article 14 (3) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, since there was no effective right to counsel in that country. Japan also admitted as controlling evidence for convictions statements made during interrogation at police cells without counsel. The report entitled Police Cell Detention in Japan -the Daiyo Kangoku System set out in more detail the grave violations of the rights of criminal suspects in Japan. 56. His organization was gravely concerned at the lack of attention given to the situation of persons detained during armed conflict and was particularly distressed at the Sri Lankan Government's announcement of its intention to 
**Analysis**
The text appears to be discussing human rights violations and the lack of attention to the situation of persons detained during armed conflict, specifically in the United States, Japan, and Sri Lanka. The text highlights the disregard for international human rights standards, including the treatment of minors, mentally retarded individuals, and indigent detainees. The focus is on the violation of fundamental rights, rather than any specific economic, industrial, or environmental issues.

**Category**
Humanitarian aid and relief, Education