Ferguson shooting a tragedy, U.N. torture panel member says

(CNN) -- The events in Ferguson, Missouri, are a "tragedy," but the U.N. Committee Against Torture "has to respect the decision" of authorities not to prosecute police Officer Darren Wilson in the fatal shooting of Michael Brown, committee member Alessio Bruni said Friday.

Bruni spoke at a news conference about the release of a committee report that criticizes, among other things, racial profiling and excessive use of force by U.S. police.

While the report does not specifically mention the Ferguson case, it does express concern about the militarization of U.S. police departments.

The U.S. was one of eight countries getting a periodic review of compliance with the U.N. Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

The other countries getting reports from the committee Friday were Sweden, Ukraine, Venezuela, Australia, Burundi, Croatia and Kazakhstan.

Much of the 16-page report that focuses on the U.S. deals with Guantanamo Bay and the treatment of detainees there, but it also includes a section on police brutality and criticizes "excessive use of force by law enforcement officials, in particular against persons belonging to certain racial and ethnic groups."