Other Crowd Control 7.5 BARBED OR RAZOR WIRE BARRIERS OR FENCES Key Technical Features Human Rights Concerns Fencing or other type of barrier, which has sharp wire fixed perpendicular to the main body. The barrier is often coiled for transport, and can then be deployed quickly. The use of barriers that have an offensive function beyond the primary purpose of restricting access or movement, such as barbed wire, razor wire, or any other spiked barrier, is disproportionate and unnecessary in a crowd control setting, and should be prohibited. This use of type of barrier as a form of crowd control creates an ongoing, indiscriminate, and uncontrollable risk of unintentional or disproportionate injury. Statements and Standards from Human Rights Bodies OHCHR: “Physical barriers should never be such as to pose a risk to safety. Barbed wire, razor wire or other spiked barriers typically create an undue risk of injury to participants in an assembly. Where a barrier is needed, safer alternatives should be employed”. 126 Examples of Existing Controls The EU may prohibit the export of this equipment under its sanction regime when the objective of the sanctions is to prevent the export of equipment that might be used for internal repression in the destination state. Manufacture should be controlled. Proposed Control Trade and transfer should be controlled. Prohibited for use in crowd control. 126 OHCHR, UN Human Rights Guidance on Less-Lethal Weapons in Law Enforcement, 2020, para. 6.3.5. 125