The special rapporteur on racism and equality Ebun Joseph has called for an “urgent” independent investigation into the death of Yves Sakila, in a letter addressed to the Minister for Justice on Thursday morning. Joseph expressed “profound shock and grave concern” regarding the circumstances of the death of Sakila in Dublin last Friday. The Congolese man, Yves Sakila, who was in his mid-30s, was suspected of shoplifting from Arnotts and was pursued by security personnel on Henry Street last Friday shortly after 5pm. He knocked an elderly man to the ground as he fled, leaving the pensioner injured.When gardaí arrived on the scene, Sakila had been held on the ground by a group of security guards for a period. The special rapporteur for racial equality Ebun Joseph. Photograph: Maxwells The injured man, in his 80s, was also on the ground a few metres away.The responding gardaí handcuffed Sakila in an apparent bid to get control of the situation and attend to the injured pensioner.However, almost immediately after the handcuffs were applied, gardaí realised Sakila was unwell, removed the handcuffs and began performing CPR. He was then taken to the Mater hospital where he was later pronounced dead.Video footage of the first part of the incident, involving a group of men restraining the deceased, has been circulating on messaging apps. It shows the group, at least some of whom are security personnel, holding Sakila to the ground as he is face down on the pedestrianised street. “The footage that has since emerged in the public domain has caused significant distress, fear, and outrage across many communities, particularly among black and minority ethnic communities who already experience heightened anxiety regarding racial profiling, excessive use of force, unequal treatment, and over-policing in public spaces,” Joseph wrote in her letter to the Minister. [ Congolese community mourns and calls for justice at vigil after Henry Street deathOpens in new window ]While the Garda is carrying out an investigation into the events on Henry Street, Sakila’s death has also been referred by Garda Headquarters to Fiosrú, the Office of the Police Ombudsman.Fiosrú investigates any incident where a person is seriously injured or dies at or around the time they have had contact or dealings with members of the Garda.Joseph acknowledged these investigations would take place. However, she called for the investigation to be conducted in “a manner that is demonstrably independent, transparent, impartial, and thorough”. “The death of any individual in circumstances involving the use of force and restraint demands the highest level of scrutiny. This is especially so where there exists widespread public concern regarding whether race, implicit bias, disproportionate use of force, or systemic inequalities played a role in the treatment of the deceased,” her letter states.Why videos of Yves Sakila’s last moments on Dublin street are key to Garda investigation Listen | 17:48The incident also “raises important questions regarding the State’s commitments under the National Action Plan Against Racism (NAPAR),” she said, particularly the core principle of ensuring that minority ethnic communities are “safe, protected, and able to live free from violence, intimidation, discrimination, and unequal treatment”. “At a time when the State has publicly committed to combating racism and strengthening trust with minority communities, it is critically important that these commitments are reflected not only in policy language, but in accountability, institutional practice, and public response when serious incidents occur,” the letter states. At the heart of the matter was the loss of a human life, she said, adding that Sakila’s family, loved ones, and community “deserve truth, accountability, and justice”. “Equally, the Irish public deserves confidence that all investigations concerning deaths involving the use of force or restraint are pursued with integrity, independence, and transparency,” she said. Her letter was written with “the full support of the Advisory Committee” which includes city councillor Hazel Chu; Dr James Carr, associate professor in sociology at the University of Limerick; and Rachel Coffey, a program officer at the National Youth Council of Ireland, among others.