Police brutality is one of several forms of police abuse involving undue violence by members of the police. Broad police brutality exists in many countries and regions, even those who judge it. Although illegal, it can be done under legal colors.
Video Police brutality
Histori
The term "police brutality" was used in the American press in early 1872, when the Chicago Tribune reported the beating of a civilian arrested at the Harrison Street Police Station.
The origins of 'modern' policing based on the authority of the nation state are usually traced back to developments in 17th and 18th century France, with modern police departments established in most countries in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Police brutality cases seem to have been frequent, with "routine embezzlement of citizens by patrol officers armed with night sticks or blackjacks". Large-scale brutal incidents were associated with labor strikes, such as the Great Highway Strikes of 1877, the Pullman Strikes of 1894, Lawrence's 1912 textile strikes, the Ludlow massacre of 1914, the Steel 1919 strike, and the 1924 Hanapepe massacre.
Part of the population may regard the police as an oppressor. In addition, there is a perception that victims of police brutality often belong to relatively powerless groups, such as minorities, the disabled, the young, and the poor.
Hubert Locke menulis,
When used in prints or as war cries in black power parades, police brutality can implicitly cover a number of practices, from calling a citizen by his first name to death by a police bullet. What the average citizen thinks of when he hears the term, however, is something in the middle between these two events, something more akin to what the police profession knows as "court gang" - a cruel beating of a person prisoners, usually when handcuffed, and usually occurs somewhere between the fishing grounds and the station house.
In March 1991, members of the Los Angeles Police Department rudely beat an African American suspect, Rodney King, while a white civilian recorded the incident, leading to media coverage and criminal charges against several officers involved. In April 1992, hours after four police officers were released in court, the Los Angeles Riot in 1992 began, causing 53 deaths, 2,383 injuries, more than 7,000 fires, damage to 3,100 businesses, and nearly $ 1 billion in financial losses. After facing a federal trial, two of the four officers were sentenced and sentenced to 32 months in prison. This case is widely seen as a key factor in the reform of the Los Angeles Police Department.
According to data released by the Bureau of Judicial Statistics (2011), between 2003 and 2009 at least 4,813 people were killed in the process of being arrested by local police. Of the deaths classified as killings of law enforcement, 2,876 deaths occurred where 1,643 or 57.1% of the deceased were "colored people".
Maps Police brutality
Right to break the law
Police brutality involves serious violations of human rights for life and physical security. In accordance with human rights law, the victim has the right to forcibly reject police brutality in which it is absolutely necessary to prevent serious and irreparable harm. In particular, police brutality involving extrajudicial killings, torture and inhuman treatment can be challenged, but not illegal arrests whose legal proceedings can be sought before the court.
Example
Austria
The incidents, in Vienna tend to be an association made between the Vienna drug problem and the city's African migrants. This has led to negative cultural stereotypes that then lead to the racial profile of African migrants, because of their negative associations with their ethnicity.
There have been numerous incidents published in Austria where police have tortured, humiliated the public, or people who were brutally beaten - in some cases to the point of death. The most famous of these incidents occurred in the late 1990s, but recent reports in 2015 show that police still treat civilians in this way.
Example
- April 24, 1996: Mr. Jevremovic, a Romani man from Serbia, tried to pay a friend's parking fine and was harassed by the police for it. He escaped, and then a large group of policemen came to his home without a warrant, and violently beat him and his wife before taking them into custody. They were fined for no reason.
- May 1996: Marcus Omofuma, an illegal Nigerian immigrant, is being deported from Vienna when officers record him in his chair 'like a mummy' and stick a ribbon over his mouth. He suffocated while in police custody.
- November 1998: Dr C, an Austrian black man, was stopped by police after returning his car to a one-way street and was asked "Why are you driving the wrong way, Nigger?". He was beaten to the ground and handcuffed. The police kept beating him after he regained consciousness. After he was arrested, he spent 11 days in the hospital to recover.
- July 28, 2015: A 27-year-old man, suspected of being a pickpocket, was handcuffed and thrown violently to the ground while under police custody. The police said that the man had been injured while 'punched his head against the wall.' The video evidence shows him passive and obedient before the fight.
- January 1, 2015: A middle-aged woman was beaten and taken into custody after refusing breathalyser tests while walking home at night. She suffered from cracking coccyx and severe bruises on her head and knees. He filed a complaint and only after he found the CCTV tape was a case re-examined by the prosecutor.
Police accountability
There is a lack of commitment to addressing civil rights abuses in Austria, with Amnesty International reporting that in 1998/1999 very few people who committed human rights violations were brought to justice. This is exacerbated by the fact that many people making complaints against the police have been brought up on countless charges such as refusing arrest, defamation and assault. In 2014-2015, there are 250 allegations of police abuse against officers in Vienna, and no one is prosecuted - but 1,329 people are charged with 'civil disturbance' in the same period of time. The report of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) of 2014 includes a number of police complaints using excessive force with prisoners as well as psychiatric patients. The culture of police officers who forgive their mistakes continues to this day, and every complaint of abuse is often filled with inadequate investigation and judicial proceedings.
Action to fight
Austria has laws in place that make hate speech against any race, religion, nationality or illegal ethnicity. Such laws, which prevent discrimination, can help change the public perception of different ethnic and cultural groups and subsequently reduce the number of incidents of racially motivated police brutality. Along with these efforts, Austria has a number of NGOs that try to implement programs that encourage positive cross-cultural relationships, and more targeted programs such as racial sensitivity training for police. Austrian police are also trying to find their own way to prevent police brutality and make police prosecutions make mistakes in a smoother process.
Beginning in January 2016, Austrian police forces will test the use of body cameras, which will be used to film their interactions with civilians. The hope is this will make the prosecution of officers very hard or stronger because there will be strong evidence, and will also deter officers from behaving roughly in the first place, because they will know that they are being monitored. It is uncertain how long the experiment will last, but until July 2016 it is still ongoing.
Police brutality incidents still seem to occur at a consistent level, but it is not yet clear whether the camera body trial will make a difference on the number of incidents that occurred or to the number of police charged with the error. In addition, there needs to be more work done by the government to break down negative social stereotypes that can lead to prejudice, racial profiling and the kind of aggressive hatred that is the driving force behind many instances of police brutality - the involvement of NGOs is valuable. But the Austrian government needs to take a strong stand against abuse of power by the police for real changes to occur. One way to do this, as suggested by Amnesty International Austria, is to dissolve the Vienna riot police, as these officers are often involved with human rights abuses and police brutality situations. Amnesty also suggested that Austria should adopt a National Plan of Action against Racism (as required by the Durban Durban Declaration and Program of Action) - something they had previously refused to do. Overall, Austria is moving slowly towards eradicating police brutality, but there needs to be more done to ensure the rights of citizens are adequately protected.
Bangladesh
Many have been brutally beaten by police in Bangladesh. Various protesters were beaten with bats and sticks when protesting against Islam.
Recently, a young man named Shamim Reja was killed by police at the Sonargaon police station. The victim's father claimed that his son was brutally tortured at the police station when the police wanted 6 lakh taka (BDT 600,000). The police investigated this and found the officer in charge of Arup Torofar and SI Paltu Ghush and ASP Uttam Prashad guilty.
Belgium
Previously a three-tier system, Belgian law enforcement now consists of two police forces operating at federal and local levels. While both services remain independent, they integrate for general recruitment and training purposes. This structural reform took place in 2001 following a national parliamentary report into a series of pedophile killings that proved police negligence and diminished public confidence. Currently, some 33,000 local police and 900 civilians work in 196 local police forces.
The United Nations Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials (1990) are replicated in Belgian law through the Criminal Code and the Police Function Act. These principles state that the use of force must be proportioned, accurate, reported and delivered in a timely manner. However, the UN Human Rights Committee reported complaints of ill-treatment of property and people by police increased between 2005 and 2011, most often involving attacks on people who no longer pose a danger. Not only this, but the Belgian judicial authorities failed to notify the national police superintendent, Committee P, which resulted in criminal penalties against the police. This is a direct violation of Belgian judicial procedures, as well as the failure to comply with Article 40 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
An extreme example in January 2010 led to the death of Jonathan Jacob in Mortsel. The 26-year-old man was arrested by local Mortsel police acting strangely under the influence of amphetamines. A tape depicting how eight officers who were members of the Antwerp Police Special Intervention refrained and beat Jacob after he was injected with a sedative that has sparked public outrage. Jacob died of internal bleeding after the incident, but police claimed they made no mistakes and "acted cautiously, respecting the necessary precautions."
In 2013, the Supreme Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) sentenced Belgium to human rights abuses in the reverse assessment of the treatment of two brothers in slaughtered custody. The Grand Chamber voiced his concern that, "A slap by a law enforcement officer on someone completely under his control is a serious offensive against the dignity of the individual".
With cases like this being belittled by the Belgian courts, the Belgian Human Rights League (LDH) seeks to fight police abuse through the Observatory of Police Violence (OBSPOL). Operating since 2013, OBSPOL collects testimonials on its website and creates a safe space for victims of police brutality by notifying them of their rights and strongly advocating adaptation of public policies for victim protection.
Brazil
Police in Brazil have a history of violence against the lower classes, dating from the nineteenth century, when it primarily served as a means of control over the mass of slaves. Then with the abolition of slavery, in most rural countries, the police force was under the strong influence of the local large landowner known as the 'colonel'.
Throughout the second half of the twentieth century, the country experienced strong urbanization, while above its last military dictatorship, its police force was under the responsibility of the state government, undergoing a strong militarization process.
The ongoing militarist approach to tackling social issues, gradually leading the country to record the level of violence and by 2015 Brazil has more deaths due to violence than the Syrian Civil War, with most people afraid of the police. In this context, in the midst of an environment tangled with corruption, the Brazilian police have routine selective brutality that matches traditional impunity.
Canada
There are a number of famous cases of alleged police brutality, including the 2010 Toronto G-20 summit protests, Quebec 2012 student protests, the Robert Dzieka incident? Taser skiing, and the shooting of Sammy Orphans. Recent public incidents where police judgment or action has been questioned has raised fundamental concerns about police and government accountability.
On March 16, 2014, 300 people were arrested in Montreal during a protest against police brutality.
Croatian
The Croatian Constitution prohibits torture, persecution and cruel and degrading punishment under Article 17, and consents to the arrest and conviction of persons treated humanely under Article 25. Croatia has a central police force under the command of the Ministry of the Interior, with about 20,000 police officers.
From 1991 to 1995, Croatian police were military forces, charged with the role of defending the country during the secession of Yugoslavia, in addition to their regular police duties. Military training teaches police to use firearms before exhausting other procedures, which have affected police officers' philosophy and behavior in using excessive force. Significant developments have been made to achieve democratic policing in modern and professional forces that are also accountable to the public. However, citizens' complaints against violent police behavior indicate that police militarization in the early 1990s continued to affect the level of power received as legitimate and reasonable by Croatian police officers.
On many occasions, the European Court of Human Rights has found that the Croatian police have failed to fulfill their obligations under Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms by not conducting effective investigations to protect its citizens, and tourists, from violent attacks. In 2009, the European Court of Human Rights issued a ruling condemning Croatian police authorities for failing to take any steps to bring perpetrators of violent attacks against Croatian citizens to court by ignoring a request for an investigation.
Croatian police have a history of discriminatory harassment and fail to recognize violence against the ethnic Romani minority population living in Croatia. The European Commission Against Racism and Intolerance has noted that the abuse of Croatian police against minorities including the Romans continues to be reported. There is a reluctance by the police authorities to take violent action against Rome seriously. Police investigations into the illegal market sales in Croatia have been extremely violent against Romani vendors, with reports of physical violence and rough racism being directed to Rome. Romani Women's Association, "Better Future", reported in 2002 that police had beaten a pregnant Romani woman who was trying to avoid arrest for black market sales.
Croatian police violence has been used to intimidate refugees traveling from Serbia to Croatia. This includes the separation of nationalities, with Syrians, Iraqis and Afghans entering Croatia as refugees much more easily than other countries. A sixteen-year-old boy who was not accompanied by Morocco told of his experience in getting asylum in Croatia after lying about being a Syrian citizen: "We have to get into a police car... They tell us this is Slovenia, but then it's Serbia.. One of my friends tried to escape, but the Croatian police arrested him and beat him. "The police beating illustrates the systemic discriminatory violence that exists in the Croatian police force.
Denmark
Denmark currently has a police force of about 11,000 officers. This officer serves with the Danish National Police, in 12 police districts and in two overseas territories of Denmark. The Danish Independent Police Complain Authority (Den UafhÃÆ'Â|ngige Politiklagemyndighed) (Authority) handles the investigation of alleged police offenses. The annual statistics released by the Authority reveal a reduction in the number of complaints against the police during the period from 2012 to 2015. For example, in 2012, the Authority received a total of 726 complaints from all of Denmark. However, by 2015, this number drops to 509. It represents about 0.05 complaints per officer. Most complaints extend from common violations, such as traffic violations and unprofessional behavior (eg swearing).
However, the 2015 Annual Report identifies some examples where Danish Police have used excessive force. For example, the Authority is currently investigating complaints made about allegations of violence against people arrested at Christianshavn on March 15, 2016. Another open investigation is related to the alleged use of violence against a 16-year-old boy on June 28, 2016. This has led to allegations which was filed against two guilty police officers from the police department of SydsjÃÆ'Â|lland- and Lolland-Falster. In addition, although instances of police brutality are not common, widely publicized incidents have been reported.
Example
In 2002, the 21-year-old Jens Arne Orskov Mathiason died while in police custody and en route to jail. The incident raised concerns about the behavior of the officers involved, the thoroughness of further investigation and the willingness of the Director of Public Prosecution to hold officials accountable for their alleged failure. As a result, Amnesty International has called for the creation of new mechanisms to investigate human rights abuses and to uphold compliance with obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights.
In January 2016, another man died in police custody after being arrested by seven officers from Copenhagen Police.
In August 2009, police in Copenhagen were strongly criticized for their response to efforts to evict Iraqi refugees living in a city church. Amateur video allegedly shows police using violence against refugees and their supporters. Between 12,000 and 20,000 people later protested this action.
In 2012, the Danish Appeals Court stated that the Danish Police violated Article 3 (against abuse and torture) and Articles 5, 10 and 11 (dealing with the right to freedom, the right to information about the allegations and freedoms of peace assembly) The Human Rights Convention Europe, when, in 2009, they had made mass arrests during protests at the 2009 UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen.
In April 2016, a video appeared from an officer hitting people with a stick and stifling a man loudly, though the audience said he could not breathe.
Prevention
To ensure that police are well trained and to reduce the risk of police brutality, police recruits undergo about three years of training. First, at the National Police College, recruits learn about police theory, the Law on Road Traffic, criminal law, physical training, other laws, first aid, radio communications, securing evidence, identifying drugs, preventing crime, management, human and cultural sociology to name a few. After these three years of trial and training, the recruits were promoted to police positions. By comparison, the US police academy provides only an average of 19 weeks of classroom teaching. This long training in Denmark enhances the ability of the police to effectively reduce conflicts and enforce their duties professionally and responsibly.
In addition, to keep police officers accountable and to ensure that they perform their duties in accordance with Danish, European and international laws, the Independent Police Complaints Authority has the authority to handle criminal investigations against police officers and to decide complaints of police offenses. This body is independent of police and prosecutors. For example, the police:
"... may resort to violence only where necessary and justified and only in such ways and to the extent reasonable than the interests which the police seek to protect.Each assessment of the justification of such forces shall also consider whether the use of force involves the risk of physical harm to third party. "
Therefore, the police in Denmark adhere to high standards and will face consequences if they violate their obligations. This encourages compliance. Victims of police abuse are encouraged to file a report to the Authority.
Estonian
The Estonian Police Forces ended in 1940 when they lost their independence to the Soviet Union. The Police Act passed in 1990, stipulating the dissolution of the Russian Military and re-establishing the Estonian Police establishment. In 2010, the Police Public Order, the Police Councils, the Central Criminal Police, the Border Guard, the Citizenship and Migration Council merged together. Therefore formed The Police and Border Guard Board. It is the largest state agency currently in Estonia, with over 5000 people in employment. The organization's main objective is to maintain security and public order, crime prevention, detection and investigation, securing EU borders, citizenship and administration of identity documentation.
According to the Estonian Ministry of Justice, crime rates have fallen by 10% from 2013 to 2015. Those who find themselves detained by police must obey their instructions. Persons with language barriers are permitted to "request the presence of an interpreter and may not sign any documents or reports until they believe that the contents of the document are consistent with the details of the incident or the victim's statement"
Police offense incidents are very rare, but if witnessed, report to the Estonian Prosecutor's Office. Although uncommon, power is sometimes abused and hence this leads to brutality from police officers. An example of this is the riots that occurred in 2007.
Case case
Controversy and unrest, more commonly referred to as the 'Bronze Night' that surrounds Estonia in April 2007 when the Tallinn Bronze Army was relocated. The government wants to move the statue and bury the remnants that are near the Tallinn Military Cemetery; However, this caused a great uproar and protest. Historically in Estonia, this Bronze Warrior served as a symbol of Soviet occupation and oppression. Furthermore, for the current citizens of Russia, it also represents the Soviet victory over Germany in World War II and their claim to equality in Estonia. During the riots, one Russian rioter was killed and many other demonstrators were arrested. Due to the overcrowded detention center, many prisoners were taken to the cargo terminal at the port of Tallinn. Andrei Zarenkov, the chairman of the Constitution Party, said "people are forced to squat for hours or lie on concrete floor with their hands tied behind their backs Police use plastic cuffs that cause pain Police selectively beat prisoners including women and teenagers We have photos of toilet wounded with blood injured "
The police department rejected all claims made against them. On 22 May 2007, the Estonian Prosecutor's Office received more than fifty complaints about police brutality that occurred during the Bronze Night and therefore opened seven criminal cases against them. In November 2007, the UN Committee Against Torture expressed concern over the excessive use and force of brutality by law enforcement personnel in connection with the Bronze night incident. The Council of Europe publishes in its report that those held in custody are not accorded any fundamental protection. This includes the right to access a doctor, a lawyer and to notify a relative or third party of their arrest. Subsequently, it was found that the defendant was only allowed to contact someone and assisted by a lawyer when brought before a judge and a number of prisoners were denied access to the doctor while in police custody even though they showed visible injuries.
Moving forward
Excessive use of force can be seen as a "legal boundary" in the eyes of police agencies. Poor police behavior is considered illegal in many countries; it can be hidden when done under the 'color of the law'
Although police brutality is quite rare in Estonia, it is imperative that the Police and Border Guards Council to keep fundamental protection in check and not violate these rights, regardless of the situation.
French
The nineteenth-century French police structure has been linked to the reorganization of France during 1789-1799 which was the period of the French revolution. Throughout the history of France, there have been examples of violent enforcement coming from issues surrounding racial and geographical differences. Furthermore, there are reports by Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International on human rights abuses by France including physical and psychological abuse as a result of excessive force against Muslims during home raids.
Frances the police ombudsman is currently handling 48 judicial questions against police brutality against his citizens, in which 1,000 people have been arrested, within three months. Furthermore, there are a number of high profile cases of police allegations of brutality that have received significant media attention, including, the death of Lamine Dieng on June 17, 2007 who died after suffocating in a police car when he was constrained. Investigations of Lamine's death are ongoing, and the gray area surrounding police accountability has been revealed, including questions about how his body is covered in bruises and whether carotid restraints are used against him. Carotid binding is a form of restriction, which suppresses one or both carotid arteries, and is used by police enforcement to control dangerous individuals. The European Court of Human Rights had condemned France in 1998 because they clearly used carotid constriction. This same restraint method was seen used against the Judge Sjimi who died of positional asphyxia as a result of the tremendous pressure placed on his chest and neck by the police.
In addition, recent protests over disputed labor laws have revealed the extreme nature of police brutality in France, as many videos have appeared in the media depicting police using disproportionate forces to protesters. French officials forced these aggressive videos to be destroyed, as they demonstrated the unnecessary forced nature of the individuals in the police department of Frances.
Finally, as a result of the increasing number of police brutality cases in the French community, a group has been formed which is called the Stolen Life Collective representing their families who have been affected by police brutality. This group strongly demands the government to act against police brutality and to reduce racism present throughout the police force in France.
Finnish
Historically, anti-communist police brutality was commonplace during the 1920s and 1930s - after the Civil War of Finland. Some local parts of the secret police (EtsivÃÆ'¤ Keskuspoliisi) routinely beat the captured communists.
In 2006, there were 7700 police officers in Finland. The police force proved to be more law-abiding than firefighters. However, there are several dozen cases every year where police are convicted of crimes committed on duty, 5 to 10 percent of the hundreds of crimes charged each year - the number of crimes shown increases each year. Police officers most often suspected of traffic-related crimes (endangering road safety, vehicle collisions, etc.) That constitute about 50% of all cases. These types of cases are also the most likely dismissed before proceeding to the prosecutor for consideration. The second most abundant category is the use of force, approximately 20%, which proceeds to the prosecutor without fail irrespective of some minor offensive attacks. In Finland, a small attack could mean a slap on the cheek.
In 2006, a 51-year-old police officer pulled a 16-year-old girl into her home by showing her badge, where she made her drunk and raped her twice. The policeman was fired and sentenced to two years in prison. In 2007, an Iranian-born immigrant, Rasoul Pourak, was beaten in a cell in Pasila Police Station, Helsinki. The bad treatment caused Pourak to bruise all over his body, open wounds in his eyebrows, and his cracked skull. In addition, the facial bone is damaged and the victim is left permanently damaged. A guard who participated in the attack was sentenced to 80 days in prison. In 2010, two police officers attacked a man with a wheelchair in connection with the arrest. Police twisted the man's hand and pushed him backwards causing him to break his femur. In 2013, two policemen were sentenced to a fine of 35 days for assault and breach of duty in relation to disguising male heads to asphalt three times. According to police, the man of Roman descent refused, but according to eyewitnesses, the man did not resist. The incident was captured in the surveillance video, which was stored but was accidentally destroyed according to the third officer present. But the third officer, after viewing surveillance records, testified that the video showed no resistance to Romani's side, but also that the attack happened not visible from the camera.
German
Overall, the incidence of police brutality in Germany appears to be due to racism and xenophobic attitudes towards foreign nationals, and occurs mainly during arrest and in detention. While Germany may be sensitive to its history in carrying out policing practices, this does not seem to stop international agencies from identifying clear patterns of ill-treatment by police to foreigners and members of ethnic minorities. Every year, about 2,000 complaints of police brutality are reported, with the numbers most likely to be less accurate representations given that not every incident is reported. As high profile cases such as the Cologne New Year's Eve incident are becoming more common, racist and xenophobic attitudes have been reflected in police brutality cases. While this incident occurred in 2014, the most notorious police brutal cases have been reported since the 1990s.
History of Police Brutality:
May 28, 1999 : Aamir Ageeb from Sudan died of asphyxia during the forced deportation from Frankfurt. Before departure, Ageeb was forcibly restrained by tape and rope. During take-off, police allegedly forced the head and upper body between his knees
December 8, 2000 : Josef Hoss was accused by his neighbor (a police officer on duty) to hide firearms, which resulted in him being ambushed near his home, beaten and handcuffed. He woke up in the police station with a cloth bag over his head and suffered several injuries that would prevent him from working and be financially able to support his family. No firearms were found after being investigated
May 2002 : Before his death Stephen Neisius had spent 13 days in the hospital with life support, having been repeatedly kicked and beaten by a group of police officers as he was handcuffed on the floor of the police station in town. Although the Cologne District Court convicted all six police officers of the bodily harm resulting in death, none of the defendants was serving a prison sentence.
2012 : After an argument with his girlfriend out of control, Teresa Z. called the police but was quickly arrested. While detained, he was beaten by police officer Frank W. and left with a broken nose and eye socket. Frank W. spent ten months in jail and was forced to pay a fine of 3,000 euros.
Since law enforcement is solely determined by the German states, every state police force (or 'Land Police') follows a different legal system. Thus, there is no comprehensive federal list, collecting and publishing regular, uniform and comprehensive figures on complaints about police abuse. Although Germany is bound to require many international treaties and conventions, Amnesty International (2002) highlights the failure of authorities to protect human rights as guaranteed by international human rights law and standards.
Despite this lack of objective accountability for policing practices, the level of confidence in police remains among the highest in the EU, only behind the Scandinavian and Swiss countries. This allowed Germany to maintain one of the lowest levels of public order and security spending in the EU, at 1.5 percent of its gross domestic product, compared with an EU average of 1.8 percent. As a result, Germany has a police force of only 300 officers per 100,000 population. These figures are few in Scandinavian and British countries, highlighting that despite examples of police brutality, Germany is trying to build the impression of having more laissez-faire approaches to the police. In addition, German police officers rarely use their weapons, as there are only 8 deaths in the past two years and only 109 deaths by service weapons since 1998.
Greek
Greek police, officially known as Hellenic Police, took over their current structure in 1984. This structure was the result of the merger of the Gendarmerie (Chorofylaki) and the Urban Police (Astynomia Poleon). Consisting of central and regional departments, Hellenic Police has a relatively long history of police brutality. One of the first dates documented back in 1976, in which 16-year-old Sideris Isidoropoulos activist was killed by police when he posted campaign posters in a public building. Only a few years later and 1980 saw the death of 20-year-old protester Stamatina Kanelopoulou at the hands of Greek police. Kanelopoulou was beaten to death by police officers during a demonstration to commemorate the 1973 uprising against the military junta. It is still common for protesters to commemorate the 1973 uprising, and the protests are still rife with police brutality around this time of the day, more than three decades after Kanelopoulou's death.
Upgrade
The degree and severity of police brutality in Greece over the past few years has been quite alarming and shocking. Due to the recent financial crisis, many austerity measures have been put in place, which means many individuals and families are struggling to survive. The Greeks have opposed austerity measures since its inception, showing their disagreement with strikes and demonstrations. In response, police brutality has risen significantly, with consistent reports of tear gas use, severe injuries inflicted by the police, and unwarranted arrest of protesters.
In 2013, Greek police allegedly tortured four youths who are believed to have suspected bank robberies after their arrest. It is alleged that the men were hooked and brutally beaten in custody. The media publish photos of the men, all with a severe bruise, but the police released four digitally manipulated photos to make it appear that they were not injured. Greek citizen protection minister - Nikos Dendias - protects the police, claiming that police need to use photoshop to make sure the suspects are recognizable. In October 2012 15 anti-fascist protesters were arrested in Athens when they clashed with supporters of the 'Golden Down' fascist party. The victims claimed that they were tortured during detention at the Attica Police Directorate, stating that police officers slapped them, spat on them, burned their hands with matches and kept them awake with torches and lasers. Once again, Nikos Dendias responded by accusing the British newspaper of publishing the details of this lying crime. It was proved by forensic examination that the torture actually happened. Two Greek journalists who commented on the Guardian report the next day were dismissed.
Latest instance
The police brutality in Greece today primarily manifests itself in an unjustified and extreme form of physical violence against demonstrators and journalists. Amnesty International underscored that the targeting of sustainable journalists is a concern because it violates the right to freedom of expression. According to recent Amnesty International reports there have been instances where police have used excessive brutal force, have abused non-lethal weapons against protesters, have attacked journalists, and have made observers to be treated poorly, especially during the anniversary of rebellion the 1973 student against the Military Junta, as mentioned earlier, took place on November 17, 2014. The charges against the police have appeared specifically in relation to the use of their brutal powers, completely unwarranted, against journalists documenting the demonstrations, and against many students. who took part in peaceful protests. It is alleged that police sprayed protesters with chemical irritations from close range - in one instance a 17-year-old girl with asthma was hospitalized after this attack and when she told police about her condition they just laughed.
Video footage confirmed that just a few days earlier, on November 13, 2014, riot police began attacking students trying to escape from the Polytechnic grounds of Athens. Media reports indicate that about 40 protesters should seek subsequent medical attention to the injuries sustained from brutal beatings against police. Amnesty International also called for action to prosecute those behind this inhumane act, stating that within the Greek police there is a culture of "harassment and impunity" that remains as authorities have taken very little action to address the core of the problem.
A German exchange student said he was randomly beaten by riot police in the Exarheia district, the only reason to be there was that he accompanied the other students to eat. The student gave a horrific picture of the violence he encountered, he curled up in a corner when he saw the police because a few weeks before he watched the police beat a man they had caught. He claims that after finding him, about six police officers started beating him with their wands, and when they left they were replaced by another police group. The students were unarmed and posed no threat but the police were brutally cruel in their actions. It has been indicated that riot police leave people being beaten and abusive without medical help. Amnesty International urges Greece to effectively and promptly investigate these crimes against civilians, which clearly violate human rights, and holds the perpetrators accountable.
Example
May 2011, Yannis Kafkas's student, suffered a very fatal head injury after a police officer hit him with a firefighter carrying riot police. Kafkas spent 20 days in intensive care.
In June 2011, Manolis Kipraios, a journalist, was covering protests against austerity measures when a riot police officer fired a stun grenade at him. He now suffers from permanent hearing loss.
February 2012, photojournalist Marios Lolos had to undergo surgery after being beaten in the head by police in a protest. The day before this attack, another journalist Rena Maniou was reportedly beaten by security forces. Dimitris Trimis, head of The Greek Journalist Association (ESEA) broke his arm after he was pushed and kicked hard by the police.
There are instances where protesters are used as human shields - the photograph of a protester marched in front of the police when people throwing stones at the police has gained considerable media attention.
None of the above cases of police brutality resulted in the prosecution of members of the police force, the lack of accountability and severe punishment for this type of crime is a major problem for today's human rights activists. One case that triggered national unrest was the 15-year-old Alexis Grigoropoulos, who was shot dead by a police officer in December 2008 during a demonstration in Athens. In this case, unlike most cases, the responsible police officer was convicted of murder.
Hong Kong
During the Hong Kong 2014 rally there were many examples of police brutality. Seven police officers were caught in a video kicking and beating a leading political activist who had been handcuffed. There were also over hundreds of police incidents hitting passers-by with sticks. Photographs on local TV and social media showed demonstrators dragged behind police lines, circled by police officers so viewers' views were blocked, and in some cases reemerged with visible cuts. The officer involved, retired cop Frankly Chu King-wai, was sentenced to three months in prison for causing serious bodily harm.
Hungarian
In 2008 when Hungary signed the Schengen Agreement, its two law enforcement agencies, Police (Rend? RsÃÆ' g) and Border Guard joined. The Border Guard became a police officer. Police forces in Hungary comprise the National Bureau of Investigation and the Operations police, these agencies are dealing with serious crimes investigations and tackling unrest. In addition to this, TerrorelhÃÆ'¡rÃÆ'tÃÆ'¡si KÃÆ'¶zpont, police forces with jurisdiction in all Hungarian deals especially with counter-terrorism. 44,923 employees form the power of Rend? RsÃÆ' Â © g in Hungary. Brutality and corruption are in Rend? RsÃÆ'Â © g.
Human Rights Watch World Report 1998 reveals that the Romanian minority in Hungary continues to be discriminated against. This discrimination is also evident in the police, with reports of police abuse and brutality in minority groups.
The 2006 protests in Hungary showed brutal and disproportionate acts that the police could use, especially in this protest were police brutality against non-violent civilians. The protest was in response to Prime Minister Ferenc GyurcsÃÆ'¡ny's speech in which he said that the Socialist Party lied their way to the office. Furthermore, his speech revealed that in his four years in office, his party did not do anything very important.
Police threw gas grenades and used rubber bullets to shoot the demonstrators. Selected and handled by police, protesters and non-violent civilians only through injuries by the police. Police broke the fingers of a man handcuffed, stormed restaurants and bars to find radical protesters. Police brutality ranges from abusive language to physically attacking protesters. Reports indicate that brutality extends to pedestrians, tourists, news reporters and paramedics.
Prevention
Instead of acting reactively, Hungary should work to improve their police training program and work to provide ongoing training and assessment to ensure that police officers at Rend? RsÃÆ'Â © g, competent and fair in their ethical judgment when it concerns the proportionality of a crime or situation and the use of force. The requirements to become a police officer in Hungary are: high school education, passing the matriculation exam, and two years of police academy. Compared to other countries around the world, the program is two years shorter than Denmark (3 years program), and longer than Australia (33-week program) and USA (18 weeks). The current two-year program is long enough, but time is not the issue. Much of what the Hungarian police academy teaches is an academic theory; not much practice. If practical work is paid more attention at the Hungarian police academy, it is likely that the number of police brutality incidents will be reduced.
India
On January 23, 2017, pro-jallikattu protests in Tamil Nadu turned violent. The National Commission on Human Rights records a report that police used violent methods, including beatings and personal property destruction, without prior warning, to disperse the protesters in Chennai. There are widespread social media reports about police burning vehicles. The highly reputed "Lathi Charge" in India which is an excessive use of force by police during mass protests or riots is also regarded as the brutality perpetrated by law enforcement officers.
Indonesia
Islamic extremists in Indonesia have been targeted by police as terrorists in the country. Police can arrest or kill dissidents. Police corruption cases with hidden bank accounts and retaliation against journalists seeking to uncover these cases have occurred as in June 2012, when Indonesian magazine Tempo has a journalist activist who was beaten by police. Separately, on 31 August 2013 police in Central Sulawesi province shot into a crowd protesting the death of a local man in police custody. Five people were killed and 34 wounded. The history of violence returned to the military-backed Suharto regime (1967-1998), from which Suharto seized power during anti-Communist purge.
Criminal investigations of violations of human rights by police are rare, mild punishment and Indonesia has no independent national body to deal effectively with public complaints. Amnesty International has asked Indonesia to review police tactics during the arrest and policing of public orders, to ensure that they meet international standards.
ireland
Northern Ireland (UK)
The legacy of police brutality has long struck Northern Ireland, due to poor police procedures used during the Problem to get a guilty plea. The Troubles in Northern Ireland lasted from 1968 to 1998, and was essentially a civil war between those who wanted Northern Ireland to remain in England (mostly Protestant/loyalist/unionists) and those who were not (Irish nationalists/republics, who mostly Catholic). During this time as many as 50,000 people were disabled or physically injured, partly by the Royal County Police (Royal Ulster Constabulary). Example of brutality Northern Ireland Police confirmed by a decision in 1978 of the European Court of Human Rights, which concluded that five interrogation techniques used by Police which included standing on the wall, deprivation of food, drink or sleep, subject to vote and forcing prisoners to remain in the same position for hours is an example of cruel and degrading treatment. New in 2010 the brutality was recognized by domestic courts, where 113 people advanced for their application heard, some of whom were minors.
Currently Northern Ireland still faces police problems, though not as far as the Problem. There are concerns about abuse by child police aged 14-18 in low socioeconomic regions in Northern Ireland that has caused deep levels of mistrust between youth and the police. Furthermore, Catholics in Northern Ireland found that they were treated differently by the police because the police were mostly Protestant. 48% of Catholics surveyed in Northern Ireland reported abuse by the police. Examples of harassment include police officers spitting on individuals or enforcing laws discriminatively, for example only for those who are Catholic. The Northern Ireland police have moved away from police brutality given the focus on accountability for the past and a significant drop in use of sticks among police members (weapons are rarely used) but harassment continues to be a major issue for Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland
The Republic of Ireland police officer was nicknamed the Garda SÃÆ'ochÃÆ'¡na (Garda) and employed some 14,500 staff. Irish criminal law allows 'reasonable force' to be used by police in respect of all circumstances, which avoids proportional officer action in such situations. The use of excessive force is against the law but s76 (7) of the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 allows the following considerations when deciding what forces make sense. A person acting for a legitimate purpose may not be able to weigh the necessary action at that instant or may act instinctively but honestly - in this case the use of force may be considered reasonable.
It is recognized by Garda, who states; 'Unfortunately, even in the most civilized democratic jurisdiction, the tragedy resulting from the use of police force will continue to destroy families and society.'
The use of force by Irish Police officers has become an international concern, where the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture reported this problem in the Republic three times within a decade. The incident that fueled these concerns centered around the death of John Carty, a man suffering from a mental illness shot by police, prosecution of seven members of the Guard police for attacks on demonstrators in 2002 and in 2005, a fifteen-year-old boy died after spending time in Guard custody. Given these circumstances, Garda involves independent human rights experts to review the power, which finds many shortcomings. The Government responded by implementing new procedures based on this report. This includes new grievance procedures available against the Guard (Ombudsman Commission), disciplinary procedures and whistle protection.
Latvian
When dealing with police brutality in Latvia, it is important to look at the history of the country and how it affects the police and its brutality against the population. Latvia became an independent Republic in 1918 and sought to develop an effective and acceptable police force, moving away from the untrustworthy Russian Tsarist Administration. Despite positive post-independence goals to reform the police system and to maintain public order and security, the Latvian police lacked the funds and lacked resources. The National Militia was formed in response, becoming a voluntary force to protect public order. Policing during this period was quite successful, assimilated by what is now referred to as community policing.
From 1940 to 1991, Latvia was occupied by the Soviet Union, and all previous rules and practices were ruled out by the Communist regime. Because of the Soviet ideals in the police force where the criminals are the enemy, there is a high degree of institutional confidentiality and means no independent review of the police. More importantly, the community policing approach is replaced by military authority based on Marxist ideology of power. During this time, there was a clear imbalance between police action and citizens' rights. Despite the lack of statistics, it is clear that police brutality is a big deal. This is illustrated by the case where former police chief Alfons Noviks was sentenced to life imprisonment for genocide against Latvians during this period.
In 1991, the independence of the Latvian state was once again restored, which saw another change in the police system with the implementation of the Law on Police on June 5. It sees the restructuring of police forces into separate levels of State, Security and Local Government. The 1991 Police Act reaffirms the ethical requirements, in which police officers are prohibited from conducting or supporting acts relating to "torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment". However, apart from these reforms, the issues of police brutality arose in the light of Russia's remaining residents in Latvia. In 1998, police forces were accused of spreading a Russian-dominated retired demonstration through excessive use of force and brutality. This hostility towards Russia remained in the following years, and despite the lack of official statistics, police brutality continued to be a problem after Latvia's independence.
In 2005, the Latvian Center for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies (LCHRES) found a number of examples of brutality and "severe violence" within police authorities, especially those in detention. Reports have shown a high level of corruption within Latvian law enforcement authorities, with 42 members convicted of corruption between 2003 and 2004. For the Latvian community, this means that if there is a police brutality incident, they may not have an independent body to report unsecured will be handled impartially without corruption.
Latvian prisons illustrate cases where police batons are used to pose serious harm to prisoners, including causing broken ribs, which are often not medically assessed for up to two days. To address the police brutality level, LCHRES conducted a study in which it established an anonymous hotline. During this four-day study, LCHRES received nearly 300 calls and written complaints regarding brutality and police abuse. It identifies a fundamental weakness in Latvian police authorities.
Since joining the European Union in 2004, the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) has assessed the Latvian criminal justice system several times. While the CPT provides the right authority recommendations for improvements such as the review board for maltreatment, they found that in 2011, Latvian authorities have not yet ratified one of their 2007 recommendations. Furthermore, their 2011 report outlines a number of police brutality cases in the prison system, with allegations of ill-treatment such as hitting, kicking and some cases of police wand abuse and over-handcuffing. This allegedly occurred mostly at the time of fear or during their time at the police station (including during interrogation).
Despite the shortcomings in the Latvian Police system, CPT has found that the number of allegations for ill-treatment has declined over the years. The Latvian Police Force operates under the Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct of State Police Personnel, stating "A police officer shall use force, special facilities or weapons only in cases established by law and to achieve the objectives of the law. The use of spontaneous powers or ill-intention, special facilities or weapons can not be justified. "It identifies that authorities are aware of police brutality, and gives more time, possibly the numbers will continue to decline.
Luxembourg
Luxembourg Police has 1,603 officers and is known as the 'Grand Ducal Police'. The Grand Ducal Police is the premier law enforcement agency in Luxembourg and has been operating since January 1, 2000, when the Grand Ducal Gendarmerie (former Luxembourg military) joins the police. Due to the relatively small population of Luxembourg of about 500,000 people, the Grand Ducal Police Department is responsible for several tasks that often separate jurisdictions such as; Border Control and Internal Military Operations.
Police brutality is not considered a serious threat to society in Luxembourg. The 2014 Anti-Corruption Report of the European Union puts Luxembourg, along with Denmark and Finland, having the lowest experience in Police brutality in the European Union. Because of the many positive characteristics of their society, such as media freedoms, public participation encouragement in the legal system and transparency mechanisms, the public also has great confidence in the Grand Ducal police force.
Laws in Luxembourg specifically distinguish between coercion and coercion in the 1973 Act on the Regulation of the Use of Power. This law regulates the use of police weapons and special technical means of physical force used by police. However, this action does not include other forms of physical force by police officers such as the use of handcuffs because this is seen as a basic police action that does not require specific legislation. The officer shall legitimately perform his duties and actions and shall be in accordance with the principle of proportionality, subsidiarity, fairness, and measure for the use of force. To ensure the Grand Ducal Police are not involved in police brutality, many safeguards and prevention methods are applied. The police inspector (who is a term for the day-to-day officer) must undergo intensive 26 months of intensive legal and tactical training followed by further training at an allocated police station. By comparison, the Victoria Police Academy provides only 33 weeks of tactical and legal training. The 2015 Human Rights Report on Government practice by the United States shows no police brutality cases in Luxembourg. This report shows that the Grand Ducal Police Department has an effective mechanism to investigate and punish potential abuses and corruption.
Although police brutality is virtually non-existent in Luxembourg, there are effective procedures in place for investigation and punishment of potential violations by the Grand Ducal Police.
Malta
The Maltese Police Force (MPF) is one of the oldest in Europe, with the Malta government taking over troops in 1921, following a self-government grant. Currently, there are about 1,900 members in the Force.
Under the Police Act of 1961, Section V discusses the use of force, in which "police officers may use moderate and proportionate powers as required..." (Art. 96), however, pursuant to Section 100., "This shall be deemed as a violation of discipline if police officers use force for consideration that is unfamiliar to those permitted by law and the circumstances of this case ". Thus, Malta recognizes the illegality of police brutality and can prosecute guilty officials on this basis.
Malta is expected to comply with the European Code of Conduct 2001 which is a member of the European Union, under which "Police may use force only when absolutely necessary and only to the extent necessary to obtain legitimate purposes."
Likewise, the Council of Europe (who became a member of Malta) did
Source of the article : Wikipedia
0 Comments