Human Rights Standards in the Use of Force

Aim The aim of this module is to provide participants with a clear understanding of human rights implications related to the use of force by law enforcement officials. / Intentia acestui modul este sa asigure participantilor o intelegere clara a implicatiilor drepturilor omului in relatie cu folosirea fortei de catre oficialii care aplica legea. Force: Any verbal command or physical action to gain subject control. Poate fi orice comanda verbala sau actiune fizica pentru a prelua controlul subiectului. There is no internationally defined concept of force and definitions found in main dictionaries usually refer to a variety of terms such as strength(tarie),power, violence. Someone can be i.e. against the use of force intended in a military way but determined to use force to avoid that a person will hurt another person. The police itself are often referred to as police force FORTA POLITIEI focusing on the power aspect of the institutional cohesion. UN Police are often familiar with the ways in which force has been defined under their own domestic laws and codes and that represents certainly a good starting. Human Rights Affected by the Use of Force Right to life, liberty and security of person: Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states: Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person. Oricine are dreptul la viata, libertate si securitate a propriei persone.

 Art. 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, states that Every human being has the inherent right to life. This right shall be protected by law. No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his life. Orice fiinta umana are drept inalienabil la viata. Acest drept trebuie protejat prin lege. Nimeni nu va fi privat in mod arbitrar de dreptul sau la viata. Prohibition of torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment: Interzicerea torturii sau a oricaror alte tratamente inhumane sau degradante Art. 7 of International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (Conventia Internationala privind drepturile civile si politice), which both read: No one shall be subject to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment Nimeni nu va fi subiectul torturii sau a tratamentelor sau pedepselor inhumane sau degradante and/si Article 2 of the UN Convention Against Torture (Conventia UN impotriva torturii), which reads: 1. Each State Party shall take effective legislative, administrative, judicial or other measures to prevent acts of torture in any territory under its jurisdiction. Fiecare Stat va lua masuri legislative, administrative, judiciare efective, sau orice alte masuri pentru a preveni actele de tortura pe intreg teritoriul sau. 2. No exceptional circumstances whatsoever, whether a state of war or a threat or war, internal political instability or any other public emergency, may be invoked as a justification of torture. Nici un fel de circumstante de nici un fel, chiar starea de razboi sau amenintarea cu razboiul, instabilitatea politica interna sau orice alta urgenta publica nu pot fi invocate ca justificare pentru tortura. 3. An order from a superior officer or a public authority may not be invoked as a justification of torture. Un ordin de la un ofiter superior sau de la o autoritate publica nu poate fi invocat ca justificare a torturii.

 Respect for the (inalienabila) inherent dignity of the human person: Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states: All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed (inzestrate) with reason (ratiune) and conscience (constiinta) and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

Basic Principles in the Use of Force Principles always to observe (PLAN) P Proportionality L Legality A Accountability N Necessity 1. Proportionality: Use of force is unavoidable/ Este inevitabila. Use of force to be proportional in all cases to lawful objectives/ In toate cazurile este proportionala obiectivelor legale. Damage and injury to be minimized/ Pagubele si vatamarile sa fie cat mai reduse.

 Range of means for differentiated use of force to be made available/ Diverse posibilitati pentru folosirea diferentiata a fortei sa fie disponibile. 2. Legality: Force to be used only for lawful enforcement purposes/ Forta sa fie folosita doar pentru indeplinirea unor scopuri legale. No exceptions or excuses for unlawful use of force/ Nu exista exceptii sau scuze pentru folosirea ilegala a fortei. 3. Accountability: Incidents to be immediately reported and reviewed by superiors/ Incidentele trebuie raportate imediat si revizuite de catre superiori. Superior officials to be held responsible for the actions of police under their command if the superior official knew or should have known of abuses but failed to take concrete action/ Superiorii sunt raspunzatori pentru actiunile politiei aflate sub comanda lor daca superiorii stiau sau ar fi trebuit sa stie (cunoasca) despre abuzuri dar nu au reusit ia masuri concrete de stopare/tragere la raspundere. Immunity should be given to police official who refuse unlawful orders/ Ar trebui data imunitate politistilor care au refuzat sa execute ordine ilegale. No excuse for abuses! Fara scuze pentru abuzuri No excuses for following unlawful orders! Nu exista scuze pentru indeplinirea ordinelor ilegale. All officers to be trained in the use of various means for the differentiated use of force/ Toti politistii trebuie sa fie antrenati/pregatiti in folosirea diverselor mijloacelor/metodelor pentru folosirea diferentiata a fortei. All officers to be trained in the use of nonviolent means/ Toti politistii trebuie sa fie antrenati/pregatiti in folosirea mijloacelor nonviolente. 4. Necessity:

 Force to be used only when strictly necessary/ Forta sa fie folosita doar cand este strict necesar. Nonviolent means to be attempted first/ Mai intai sa se incerce folosirea mijloacelor/metodelor nonviolente. Restraint to be exercised in the use of force, only the minimum level required and only for the time necessary./ Folosirea fortei trebuie facuta cu retinere, la nivelul minim solicitat si doar cat timp este necesar. Different Means of Force / Diverse mijloace/metode de forta Non violent means: Metode non violente Presence of authority/ Prezenta politiei Verbal/ Adresarea verbala Show of force/ Prezentarea fortei Violent means: Metode violente Physical human force/ Forta fizica Handcuffs/ Catusele Baton/Gas/Water/ Folosirea bastonului, gazelor, apei. Less than lethal firearms/ Folosirea unor arme neletale. Lethal firearms/ Folosirea armelor de foc.

Permissible Circumstances for the Use of Firearms Situatii admisibile cand se poate face uz de arme de foc Only in extreme circumstances when strictly unavoidable for/ Doar in circumstante extreme cand este absolut de neevitat pentru:

 Selfdefence or defence of others against imminent threat of death or serious injury/ Autoaparare sau apararea altor persoane impotriva unei amenintari iminente de moarte sau vatamare grava. Preventing a particularly serious crime that involves a severe threat to life/ Prevenirea unei infractiuni grave care implica o amenintare grava a vietii. Arresting or preventing the escape of a person posing such a threat and who is resisting efforts to stop the threat, in every case, only when less extreme measures are insufficient. / Pentru arestarea sau prevenirea evadarii unei persoane care prezinta o amenintare deosebit de grava si care rezista eforturilor de a stopa amenintarea, in fiecare caz doar cand masurile mai putin extreme sunt insuficente. Procedures for the Use of Firearms - Officer to identify himself/herself as police official and; Politistul se identifica/prezinta ca si oficial al politiei. - Officer to give a clear warning and / Politistul trebuie sa dea (lanseze) un avertisement clar si - Officer to allow adequate time for warning to be obeyed. / Ofiterul trebuie sa acorde un interval de timp potrivit pentru ca avertismentul sa fie respectat (urmat). Procedures after the Use of Firearms:/ Proceduri dupa folosirea armelor de foc: Provide medical aid to all injured persons; / Asigurarea ajutorului medical tuturor persoanelor ranite. Notify relatives or friends of those affected;/ Se informeaza rudele sau prietenii celor afectati.

 Allow for investigation where requested or required;/ Se permite investigatia acolo unde este necesara sau solicitata. Provide a full and detailed report of the incident./ Asigurati un raport complet si deataliat al incidentului. UN Police Responsibilities under a Non Executive Mandate / Responsabilitatile Politiei UN sub un mandat fara puteri executive: If a UN Police witnesses, discovers, or in any other way is made aware of a human rights violation, the UN Police officer is to: / Daca un politist UN este martor, descopera sau ia la cunostinta in orice alt fel de o violare a drepturilor omului, politistul UN trebuie sa: Put an end to the violation and/or prevent further violations; Sa opreasca violarea si/sau sa previna alte violari viitoare Provide assistance to the victim as necessary; Sa asigure asistenta victimelor, atat cat este nevoie; Mentor and advise accordingly; Acorda asistenta conform situatiei. Report the human rights violation to his/her immediate supervisor; Raporteaza despre cazul de violare a drepturilor omului, sefului sau imediat. Report the human rights violation to the Human Rights component of the mission and consult on further necessary action. / Raporteaza despre cazul de violare a drepturilor omului Departamentului de drepturile omului ale misiunii si (se) consulta in ce priveste viitoarele actiuni necesare.

UN Police Responsibilities under an Executive Mandate Responsabilitatile Politiei UN sub un mandat cu puteri executive Under an executive mandate UN Police are responsible for the use of force. / Sub mandate executive Politia UN este responsabila de folosirea fortei. Any use of force has to be carried out in accordance with the law of the host country and full respect for international human rights standards. Orice folosire a fortei trebuie realizata in conformitate cu legea tarii gazda si cu deplin respect al standardelor internationale privind drepturile omului. In carrying out policing functions, UN Police must respect the legislation applicable in the host country insofar as it is not in conflict with United Nations human rights norms and standards or United Nations rules, regulations and other issuances. Indeplinind functiile de politie, Politia UN trebuie sa respecte legea in aplicare a tarii gazda in masura in care nu este in contradictie cu standardele si normele UN privind drepturile omului. In situations when use of force and firearms are carried out directly by the UN Police, they are required to fully respect human rights. Abuse of authority, excessive use of force and other serious misconducts possibly committed by UN Police have to be reported to the Head of Mission who will start a preliminary investigation. In situatiile cand folosirea fortei si a armelor de foc se executa direct de catre Politia UN, acesta este obligata sa respecte pe deplin drepturile omului. Abuzul de autoritate, folosirea excesiva

a fortei sau alte activitati gresite care au putut fi intreprinse de Politia UN trebuie sa fie raportate Sefului Misiunii care va incepe o investigatie preliminara.