On the Draft Law of Tajikistan "On Police"

Considering a definition of "security" as a complex one, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) operates in three "dimensions”: the Politico-Military; the Economic and Environmental; and the Human. The OSCE always affirms that respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, democracy and rule of law are crucial for the Comprehensive Security Concept accepted by the OSCE.

Based namely on this concept, the OSCE Office in Tajikistan has supported the request of the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan to provide assistance in Tajik Police Reform, including capacity building, police training in the spirit of democratic principles and gaining key skills of police work.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Police Reform and Development of Tajikistan between the OSCE and the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan was signed in 2011, aiming to reform the police in Tajikistan in the spirit of universally accepted democratic principles at police work. They are norms and standards set out in the Code of Conduct for law enforcement officials, the International Code of Conduct for public officials, the Declaration on Police, the European Code of Police Ethics, and the Universal Standards on anti-corruption in police departments and agencies and in many other UN and the OSCE documents.

The OSCE Office in Tajikistan operating based on its mandate has assisted the Republic of Tajikistan in creating the common approaches to police reform. The Police Reform Strategy of Tajikistan was adopted in 2013 and the Police Reform Program of Tajikistan for 2014-2020 was approved on 3 May 2014.

At present, the Working Group of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) of the Republic of Tajikistan has developed a draft Law "On Police" of the Republic of Tajikistan, which is available in the MIA website for review and open public discussion: http://www.vkd.tj/index.php/tj/konfronso-va-koroi-ilm/4038-loi-ai-onuni-um-urii-to-ikiston-dar-borai-politsiya.

The OSCE Office in Tajikistan (OiT) welcoming the initiative notes that always relies on political dialogue concerning common values and takes measures to strengthen the partnership between the Government, civil society and the private sector.

Therefore, the OiT has decided to post the text of the Draft Law “On Police” in the website of the OSCE Police Reform Project (http://www.police-reform.tj/index.php/ru/bonus-page/law). The OSCE OiT encourages active civil society members, all citizens of the Republic of Tajikistan, as well as local and international experts to be actively involved in the discussion process of the Draft Law "On Police" of the Republic of Tajikistan and send their feedbacks on it to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan and to the website police-reform.tj.

The OSCE OiT will make all efforts to implement the Memorandum of Understanding and the Police Reform Program of Tajikistan adopted by the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan, as a result of which a new model of police of Tajikistan will be created. It will be aimed at ensuring the security of person, protection of his/her rights and legitimate interests from illegal infringements.