Police in a society’s mirror
- Details
- Published on 05 March 2013
A public monitoring of police activities was carried out in Tajikistan from 12 to 24 February 2013.
More than 30 directorates and departments of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Dushanbe, in Khatlon and Soghd regions, Mountainous Badakhshan Autonomous Region (MBAR), as well as Direct Rule Districts (DRD) were covered during the monitoring.
“Such aspects as an access of population to police (entrance to duty offices, entrance ramps for handicapped persons), availability of information for visitors about “Help Lines” or “Hot Line” of the law enforcement agencies, about policies on appointments, registration and reviewing of claims, list of the management contact details and a schedule for accepting visitors, availability of book of complaints, treatment of citizens by duty officers (if they introduce themselves at the conversation) and etc.,” states Mr. Romanov, the Director of Public Organization “Independent Center for the Protection of Human Rights.”
In addition, the monitoring of the activities of the police patrolling services on point duties was aimed at the research of patrol police readiness to protect public order (availability of equipment, readiness to react to breach of law), identification of patrolling services on point duties (availability of identification cards).
As positive sides, it should be noted that there is a video surveillance system at the entrances to the Departments of Internal Affairs (DIA), and moreover, polite treatment towards to citizens and civil activists by the staff of duty offices, as well as providing of information about regulations of receiving visitors by the DIA management, location of different services, including medical services were observed during the monitoring. For instance, in Soghd region while approaching a duty office, a staff member could easily provide information both in Tajik (state language) and in Russian, Uzbek, and in English languages, which is a positive example, taking into consideration the possible approach of the territorial DIAs by foreign citizens.
According to the outcomes of the monitoring, the buildings have identification plates “Militia.” However, not all the Directorates and Departments of Internal Affairs could be easily found, since
According to the outcomes of the monitoring, the buildings have identification plates “Militia.” However, not all the Directorates and Departments of Internal Affairs could be easily found, since there are no arrow signs along the streets, which would point the location of these institutions.
There is a check point in each Department of Internal Affairs, which check and register every visitor. It was observed that this procedure causes certain difficulties and obstacles while citizens approach duty offices with petitions.
No entrance to territorial Department of Internal Affairs is equipped by an entrance ramps for handicapped persons, which causes creates obstructions for this category of citizens while appealing to duty offices with a petition.
There is no information about telephone numbers or operation of the “hotlines” in Dushanbe, MBAR, DRDs and in Khatlon regions in the entrance halls or at the entrances to the DIA buildings. Moreover, there were not informational tables and regulations of receiving visitors. Only in Soghd region, the information about the “hotlines” was available almost in every department (except Kanibadam, Isfara and DIA of the right bank of Khujand).
There was information about visiting days of the MIA structures management staff by the citizens in all the DIAs, visited by observers. However, in all DIAs books of complaints were absent, or according to the staff, only responsible staff of duty offices had it at their disposal, and they are located in places, inaccessible for regular approaching citizens.
While the citizens do approach the police duty offices, staff members do not introduce themselves, but follow polite communication style. They provide all citizens with required consultations and clarifications. In some DIAs of Soghd region, the police staff of duty offices had ID cards with their names and positions, while in some regions the police staff had metallic badges (tags).
It should be mentioned that no separate rooms for reception of citizens were found within the duty office premises.
In regard to patrolling services on point duties, the uniform of its staff in the majority of cases was in compliance with weather conditions on the day of monitoring. Several police staff was dressed in thin uniform in the Soghd region in winter time. Their uniforms did not have badges and other ID signs, besides logos, showing their relation to patrolling services subdivisions. There was not other technical equipment noticed (for instance, walkie-talkies), besides whistles and rubber batons. Patrolling service staff in Soghd region receives batons during the evening shifts, while being in service.
The patrolling vehicles were noticed in Dushanbe, Kulyab, and Kurgan-Tyube, in DRDs, but according to their ID signs, it was impossible to identify which city or unit the vehicles were assigned to. One can find out only the region they are registered in, based on the last digit of license plates. However, it was observed that the patrolling vehicles of the DIAs in Soghd region have ID signs, showing their relation to certain territorial DIAs, as well as that they are used by traffic inspectors.
According to Sergey Romanov, the conduction of the proved that in the territorial DIAs, it is necessary to do the following: post more information about “hotlines,” which operate within the MIA; advertise stands with templates of petitions and complaints; information in other languages, for example, in Russian and Uzbek; ensure an access to duty offices for handicapped persons by building of entrance ramps and relevant conditions, and provide the population an open access to book of complaints and suggestions.
The Director of Public Organization “Independent Center for the Protection of Human Rights” has expressed his satisfaction with conducted public monitoring: “Currently, we submitted mass media the preliminary results of our work. The results of the whole campaign will be reflected in the report, which is planned to be published in April 2013 jointly with the partners from the Russian Federation, Ukraine, and Moldova.”