Police Reform

Announcement!

On Public Councils on the Civil Society Assistance to the Police Reform

The achievement of the police reforming goal in the Republic of Tajikistan (RT) depends on understanding of its role in the modern society. During the sociological surveys initiated by the OSCE, it was revealed that the population considers creation and maintaining of the safe social environment as a main objective of the police in the RT.

Moreover, the indicators such as reducing the number of victims, who became the victims of criminal acts, reducing the fear to become a victim of crime and improving the citizens' opinion on the police performance shall serve as one of the main criteria for assessing the police activity in ensuring the safety of citizens.

Such a formulation and solution of preventive challenges assumes close interaction with the community, which is both a source of information on the rule of law state and a subject capable to implement certain steps to maintain a public order and security. Police should establish such communication channels, which, on the one hand, would allow the public to receive needed for them information from the police to ensure the safe conduct, and on the other hand, would provide an opportunity for the citizens to report on security threats and be involved in setting the priority tasks on public order maintenance.

In addition, it is necessary to have a respect and trust of the population that shall be deserved to achieve the goals and objectives of the Police Reform Strategy. In a democratic society such respect can be earned through organizational structures that contribute to the growth of trust between the police and public, as well as thanks to the high level of professionalism.

The Public Councils to ensure public order in cooperation with the police at the local level can serve as such structures, and at the national level the Public Councils on the Civil Society Assistance to the Police Reform should be created within the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Police Departments in the regions.

Furthermore, the police reform process should be transparent and public. It involves the creation of various mechanisms that support an open and public debate throughout the reform period. The format of the discussion and decision-making should enable the citizens to participate directly and indirectly in the discussion of the police reform progress at its different stages, to be able to convey to the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan their requests (expectations) and proposals on this subject, to have an opportunity to monitor the records of public demand for the police reform.

Only based on these conditions and objectives, the national police reform team of the OSCE Office in Tajikistan has drafted the Provision of the Public Council on the Civil Society Assistance to the Police Reform. The Draft Provision is based on the main points of the President of the RT’s Message, the Police Reform Strategy in Tajikistan, approved by the Decree of the President of the RT on 19 March 2013, №1438, as well as the Police Reform (development) Programme for 2014-2020, approved by the Resolution of the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan on 3 May 2014, №296.

The Draft Provision has been repeatedly discussed with the members of the Sub-Working Groups on the “Civil Society Assistance to the Police Reform” created in Dushanbe, regional centres, in Kulyab and Rasht cities at the meetings of Police Reform Steering Group. After the finalization it was approved by the participants of the round table on police reform on 11 October 2014.

On 11 November 2014 the Provision of the Public Council on the Civil Society Assistance to the Police Reform was approved by the order of the Minister of Internal Affairs, №841, and put into effect. The Public Councils on the Civil Society Assistance to the Police Reform will be established under the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) of the RT, the Departments of Internal Affairs (DIA) of GBAO, Dushanbe city, Khatlon and Sogd regions, and also Kulyab and Rasht groups of districts.

In accordance with the Provision, the Public Council on the Civil Society Assistance to the Police Reform is an advisory and monitoring body established to ensure direct and indirect involvement of citizens in the discussion of the police reform progress at its various stages. It reports to the Government of Tajikistan on the citizens' expectations and proposals on the subject, considers the public opinion while making and implementing the state policy on Community Policing, carries out

In addition to drafting the Community Policing Concept, the primary objectives of the Public Council are:

• involvement of citizens, as well as public, human rights, scientific, creative, religious and other organizations to participate in the state policy implementation on crime/violation prevention;
• development of active civil position in the society to assist the law enforcement bodies in solving crimes and offenses;
• increasing the public confidence in the law enforcement system of the country, bringing closer the police and community, increasing the role of the Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and the media to further strengthen the constitutional state;
• ensuring the direct and indirect citizens’ participation in the discussion of the reform progress at its different phases, creating various mechanisms that support an open and public debate throughout the period of police reforming;
• providing consultative, methodological and other support in the internal affairs activities;
• involvement of the media representatives in the interests of comprehensive and objective public awareness raising about topical issues of internal affairs activities;
• developing proposals for the agendas/programmes and implementation of joint events aimed at addressing the law enforcement issues;
• preparing conclusions, forecasts and proposals by the NGOs for improving the police activity;
• participation in the special commission work composed of the MIA Chief Inspector, appointed by and directly accountable to the Minister of Internal Affairs and two civil society representatives appointed by the members of the Public Council on the Civil Society Assistance to the Police Reform. Public Council shall respond to violations of citizens' rights, as well as NGOs and other public associations subjected to illegal prosecution, shall study them and make appropriate recommendations;
• participation at the entrance examination of candidates in cadets and students of the MIA educational institutions;
• participation in the MIA and DIA Evaluation Committees to ensure an objective and comprehensive assessment of entrants;
• developing the programs, concepts and proposals aimed at ensuring the rule of law, protection of human rights and freedoms, strengthening the legal and democratic statehood in Tajikistan.

The Public Council is formed on a voluntary basis from amongst the nationals of the Republic of Tajikistan.

The candidate for the membership of the Public Council might be a capable citizen of Tajikistan, who has reached the age of 21, permanently residing in the territory of the Republic of Tajikistan, without any conviction records, having education not less than secondary, with active civic stand and experience in social, creative or scientific activities.

Inclusion of candidates for membership in the Public Council can be proposed by the public organizations and legal entities of the Republic of Tajikistan, as well as by the citizens of Tajikistan.

The application of the public organization or legal entity shall be accompanied by:

1) the decision of the governing body from the public organization or legal entity on the candidate’s nomination for the Public Council;

 2) organization’s copy of state registration;

 3) a copy of the document confirming a fact of entering the records into the unified state roster of legal entities;

 4) title documents of the legal entity (charter, provision);

 5) information on the activities of the legal entity (profile);

7) a candidate’s statement in writing, confirming his/her consent to be part of the Public Council;

All candidates for membership of the Public Council shall submit the following documents:

 1) a copy of the candidate’s passport;

 2) a copy of the document on the candidate’s education;

 3) candidate’s autobiography;

 4) a certified copy of the work book;

 5) two photographs 4x6 cm.

The abovementioned documents along with a statement of the candidate or the letter-petition of public organization must be submitted to the MIA National Police Reform Coordinator before 15 January 2015.

List of candidates for the Public Council membership will be compiled on the basis of incoming applications, and discussed at the next meeting of the Police Reform Steering Group.

After agreeing the list of candidates for the Public Council membership by the Police Reform Steering Group (PRSG), its composition will be approved at the meeting of the PRSG (political level) and will be declared by order of the Minister of Internal Affairs of the RT.

National Police Reform team of the OSCE Office in Tajikistan invites all citizens of Tajikistan, representatives of public and human rights organizations to be actively involved in the establishing process of the Public Councils on the Civil Society Assistance to the Police Reform. Only the Public Council as a platform can actually enable citizens of Tajikistan to participate in the Tajik police reforming process, while ensuring the rule of law, protection of human rights and freedoms in its activities, and strengthening the legal and democratic state in Tajikistan.