Tweet
RA HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER ASSESSES 2011 POLICE ACTIVITIES
hetq
12:33, March 28, 2012
Shortcomings and problems identified
In some cases, investigation and preliminary investigation bodies
subjected people to cruel, inhuman, as well as humiliating treatment
for obtaining testimony.
In many cases a person has been unreasonably "invited" to a police
department, kept there against his/her will, factually being deprived
of liberty without having an appropriate status foreseen by the RA
Criminal Procedural Code.
There were often cases when a person suspected of a crime was brought
to the police department (without any status) and kept there more
than 3 hours violating the requirements of the Article 131.1 of the
RA Criminal Procedural Code.
In many cases reports on crimes were not followed up in the order
foreseen by the Criminal Procedural Code, and they were "attached to
a series".
In some cases, a person's passport was taken from him/her by police
officers without legal grounds and kept as a guarantee.
In many cases, people, having physical injuries as a result of a
crime, were not given a forensic examination official document or were
provided with them after unduly delays and sometimes very untimely.
There are many cases, when terms, defined by the Article 180 of the
RA Criminal Procedural Code for consideration of reports about crimes,
were violated.
Sometimes criminal cases were not initiated in case of contradictions
in explanations given during preparations of materials, which would
enable the investigation body to carry out face to face interrogations
to ensure objectivity, fullness and comprehensiveness of the case.
In some cases, the terms of keeping detainees in Detention facilities
were violated.
During investigation and preliminary investigation people were
sometimes invited to interrogation with violations of the requirements
of the Article 205 of the RA Criminal Procedural Code.
In some cases, people brought to police departments, were deprived
of the right of having a defender.
There were complaints that under the pretext of identifying the
wanted person, police officers had entered one's apartment and
conducted a search without a corresponding court decision.
The Passport and Visa Department and territorial departments often
unreasonably denied the citizens ofArmeniain providing them with
passports, due to not being registered.
Positive developments
In the two last months of 2011 the police response to reports about
cases of violence and violations carried out by its officers has
changed, and the Ombudsman's mediation in 2011 regarding a similar
complaint was positively processed. Due to a citizen A.A.'s report,
the investigator S. Sedrakyan had derogated and insulted him, as well
as had violated a number of criminal procedural norms. According
to the official investigation, the investigator S. Sedrakyan was
dismissed from his position by the order of the Chief of Police.
The process of revealing violations of traffic rules has been improved
by placing camera and photo devices.
The RA Police has developed the concepts of introduction of
observation systems in the crowded areas ofYerevanand concept of the
rapid reaction center ofYerevandepartment, as well as their technical
tasks and financial estimates.
The RA draft Law "About Making Amendments and Additions" to the RA Law
"About Confirming the RA Police Disciplinary Code"" was approved, which
aims to improve the legal protection level of the police officers,
to establish a permanent Commission carrying investigation with
respect to police officers.
In November 2011, the Chief of the Police of Armenia signed the
order N3327 "About implementation of trainings for police officers
subject to appointment in Municipal Police Departments established
in Yerevan Territorial Police Departments", which aims to promote
the establishment of a district (municipal) police model.
Karen Andreasyan,
Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Armenia
The list of the identified positive developments, gaps and shortcomings
is not exhaustive.
The introduced Chapter (17) of the HRD Annual Report 2011 is available
in full at http://pashtpan.am/pages/downloadPdf/file_id/554 .
The HRD Annual Report 2011 was developed based on the complaints
received by the Staff of the Human Rights Defender, legislation
analysis, trustworthy and non-disclaimed publications in press,
reports of the international and local organizations as well as
information received during the interviews with field specialists
and human rights defenders.
hetq
12:33, March 28, 2012
Shortcomings and problems identified
In some cases, investigation and preliminary investigation bodies
subjected people to cruel, inhuman, as well as humiliating treatment
for obtaining testimony.
In many cases a person has been unreasonably "invited" to a police
department, kept there against his/her will, factually being deprived
of liberty without having an appropriate status foreseen by the RA
Criminal Procedural Code.
There were often cases when a person suspected of a crime was brought
to the police department (without any status) and kept there more
than 3 hours violating the requirements of the Article 131.1 of the
RA Criminal Procedural Code.
In many cases reports on crimes were not followed up in the order
foreseen by the Criminal Procedural Code, and they were "attached to
a series".
In some cases, a person's passport was taken from him/her by police
officers without legal grounds and kept as a guarantee.
In many cases, people, having physical injuries as a result of a
crime, were not given a forensic examination official document or were
provided with them after unduly delays and sometimes very untimely.
There are many cases, when terms, defined by the Article 180 of the
RA Criminal Procedural Code for consideration of reports about crimes,
were violated.
Sometimes criminal cases were not initiated in case of contradictions
in explanations given during preparations of materials, which would
enable the investigation body to carry out face to face interrogations
to ensure objectivity, fullness and comprehensiveness of the case.
In some cases, the terms of keeping detainees in Detention facilities
were violated.
During investigation and preliminary investigation people were
sometimes invited to interrogation with violations of the requirements
of the Article 205 of the RA Criminal Procedural Code.
In some cases, people brought to police departments, were deprived
of the right of having a defender.
There were complaints that under the pretext of identifying the
wanted person, police officers had entered one's apartment and
conducted a search without a corresponding court decision.
The Passport and Visa Department and territorial departments often
unreasonably denied the citizens ofArmeniain providing them with
passports, due to not being registered.
Positive developments
In the two last months of 2011 the police response to reports about
cases of violence and violations carried out by its officers has
changed, and the Ombudsman's mediation in 2011 regarding a similar
complaint was positively processed. Due to a citizen A.A.'s report,
the investigator S. Sedrakyan had derogated and insulted him, as well
as had violated a number of criminal procedural norms. According
to the official investigation, the investigator S. Sedrakyan was
dismissed from his position by the order of the Chief of Police.
The process of revealing violations of traffic rules has been improved
by placing camera and photo devices.
The RA Police has developed the concepts of introduction of
observation systems in the crowded areas ofYerevanand concept of the
rapid reaction center ofYerevandepartment, as well as their technical
tasks and financial estimates.
The RA draft Law "About Making Amendments and Additions" to the RA Law
"About Confirming the RA Police Disciplinary Code"" was approved, which
aims to improve the legal protection level of the police officers,
to establish a permanent Commission carrying investigation with
respect to police officers.
In November 2011, the Chief of the Police of Armenia signed the
order N3327 "About implementation of trainings for police officers
subject to appointment in Municipal Police Departments established
in Yerevan Territorial Police Departments", which aims to promote
the establishment of a district (municipal) police model.
Karen Andreasyan,
Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Armenia
The list of the identified positive developments, gaps and shortcomings
is not exhaustive.
The introduced Chapter (17) of the HRD Annual Report 2011 is available
in full at http://pashtpan.am/pages/downloadPdf/file_id/554 .
The HRD Annual Report 2011 was developed based on the complaints
received by the Staff of the Human Rights Defender, legislation
analysis, trustworthy and non-disclaimed publications in press,
reports of the international and local organizations as well as
information received during the interviews with field specialists
and human rights defenders.