Police Reforms
Police Reforms: Too Important to Neglect, Too Urgent to Delay

News Updates

Bangladesh: Promulgation of the draft Bangladesh Police Ordinance (2007) has been delayed as the Home Ministry has recently asked Police Headquarters to consult stakeholders on the draft at thana, district and divisional level. It is believed that once the draft ordinance is enacted the influence of ruling political parties on the police department will reduce sharply. (05/02/08)

South Africa: Mayhem broke out in Plettenberg Bay yesterday when police and security guards attacked unarmed squatters with sjamboks and shot them with rubber bullets in an unprovoked attack witnessed by several shocked journalists. Police have vowed to investigate the incident and have promised to take disciplinary action against any police officer found to have abused his powers. (05/02/2008)

Canada: Defense counsel, former prosecutors and police accountability experts have suggested that the Ontario government launch an intensive review – perhaps even a public inquiry – into the prosecution's bungling of what has been called Canada's biggest police corruption scandal. With a judge staying criminal charges against six Toronto police officers because of unreasonable trial delays caused by the Crown, the public needs to know why the attorney-general's office allowed the case to languish. (02/02/08)

Bahamas: There was another delay in the case of two police officers allegedly accused of brutally attacking, and killing, a father of six. The delay was due to the fact that one of the accused requires new legal representation. (01/02/2008)

Zimbabwe: A leading Zimbabwean nongovernmental organization has voiced concern over what it says is a rising level of violence by police officers and members of the army against the population with national elections coming up in just nine weeks. The National Constitutional Assembly issued a statement charging that the Zimbabwe Republic Police and the army are increasingly resorting to violence when dealing with unarmed demonstrators. (30/01/08)

Malaysia: Malaysian police detained 53 activists in a crackdown on a planned opposition-led protest over inflation ahead of national elections expected within weeks. (27/01/08)

Canada: A teenager alleges that the RCMP assaulted and unlawfully confined her when she was just 15 years old. A surveillance tape of the incident appears to indicate that the police forcibly restrained the intoxicated youth and tethered her to a door with bound hands and feet for four hours. (22/01/08)

Guyana: For years the seriousness with which the police force handles reports of domestic violence has been questioned and criticized and even after sustained training and sensitization women continue to be abused and in mortal danger after making reports to stations. (22/01/08)

Pakistan: A minor girl died of suffocation allegedly due to negligence of the police during a search operation carried out by them in which seven persons were arrested in Shah Nawaz Shar Goth. (17/01/2008)

Kenya: Residents of Kenya's biggest slum accused the police of opening fire on demonstrators, spraying bullets as residents ran for cover among the tin-roofed shacks. Even those who say they are not involved in political protests have complained of police brutality. (17/01/08)

Zimbabwe: A report issued by The Open Society Initiative recommends that the Zimbabwean government ceases and investigates all acts of torture and state sanctioned violence. Specifically, it was recommended that police and ZANU-PF officials who have participated in torture and political violence be held accountable in courts of law for their actions. (14/01/08)

Kenya: Kenyan police have used lethal force, including gunfire, to break up anti-government protests, the US-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) has said. "Kenyan security forces have a duty to rein in criminal violence and should protect people, but they shouldn't turn their weapons on peaceful protesters," said Georgette Gagnon, acting Africa director at HRW (13/01/08).

South Africa: South African President Thabo Mbeki has suspended police chief Jackie Selebi because he faces corruption charges. Mr Selebi is alleged to have received $170,000 USD from a convicted criminal over a five-year period (12/01/08).

Jamaica: Less than a month after he took up office, new Police Commissioner Hardley Lewin has received the endorsement of Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ). Dr. Carolyn Gomes, Executive Director of the JFJ, says that Commissioner Lewin gave a commitment to deal with several important issues, chief among them the abuse of citizen's rights by some Force members (11/01/08).

Canada: Experts on Canadian policing issues indicate that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) will undergo significant reform during 2008. Due to high-profile scandals and a scathing report that stated that the RCMP is plagued by problems and “horribly broken”, the force will be expected to reform its culture and governance (10/01/08).

Canada: Amnesty International criticised the Canadian government for stating before a Public Inquiry that notwithstanding the Convention against Torture, Canadian intelligence agencies and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police are permitted to share intelligence with countries that practice torture (10/01/08).

Bangladesh: Former Prime Minister and Bangladesh Nationalist Party chief Khaleda Zia's detained elder son Tarique Rahman has claimed he was "inhumanly tortured" when he was in police remand for interrogation in a corruption case. Since his arrest by army-led joint forces from his mother's Dhaka Cantonment residence on March 7, Rahman was remanded in custody for 10 days at different dates as he faced several criminal and corruption charges (10/01/08).

Nigeria: President Umaru Yar'Adua inaugurated the 16-person Presidential Committee on the Reform of the Nigeria Police Force with a pledge to strengthen the force for more efficiency and effectiveness. The Committee will examine the present state of the Nigeria Police Force, identify and recommend measures that will enhance Police service delivery, and examine and recommend measures needed for the complete transformation of the Nigeria Police Force into an efficient agency (09/01/08).

United Kingdom: After Sir Ronnie Flanagan, the former Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary, came under fire when a judge criticised the police investigation of the Omagh bombing, Prime Minister Gordon Brown defended his current senior police advisor in the Home Office. During the Omagh trial, Mr Justice Weir said two officers on the case were guilty of "deliberate and calculated deception". It later emerged they are still on duty with the police. The Policing Board has pledged an independent review of all investigations into the Omagh bombing (08/01/08).

India and Malaysia: Bhuthang police station in Malaysia placed first and Palakkad town’s south police station in Kerala, India was ranked second in South Asia’s best police station test which is conducted by Altus Global on behalf of the United Nations. (02/01/08)

Bangladesh: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has launched a Police Reform Programme in Bangladesh which is aimed at improving police response to gendered crime. The Programme introduces gender-specific guidelines for policing and will eventually establish woman police units at all stations, which aims to ensure that female victims, witnesses and suspects are dealt with by female police officers. (02/01/08)

India: Members of the Tamil Nadu Traders Federation were arrested following a protest demanding that murder charges be brought against police officers in relation to the custodial death of one of their members. The Federation claim that the man died as a result of police torture, while the police maintain that he died from complications following surgery. (01/01/08)

New Zealand: A review of the New Zealand police by the New Zealand Press Association (NZPA) has found that 2007 was a ‘tough year’ for police. As previously noted in CHRI’s news updates, there has been ongoing controversy around the use of stun guns by police. Further, Dame Margaret Bazley’s report into police conduct found that some officers have engaged in ‘disgraceful’ sexual behaviour, prompting Police Commissioner Howard Broad to implement all recommendations in the report. A separate report, which was leaked to the press, found that ‘sub-standard police recruits’ were being accepted into the force. (31/12/07)

Uganda: P.K. Arinaitwe, Uganda’s northern region Police commander has issued a warning to police officers against corruption, bribery and torture. Mr. Arinaitwe highlighted the risk of mistrust between the population and police if officers engage in such conduct. (30/12/07)

Antigua & Barbuda: The Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda is investigating allegations of excessive force and brutality by its officers. It is not known whether any of the officers under investigation have so far been disciplined. (28/12/07)

Australia: The New South Wales Police Integrity Commission released its report on allegations of corruption against two senior police officers, concluding that the officers engaged in misconduct. Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione supported the findings and expressed his support of the independent Police Integrity Commission in New South Wales, highlighting the importance of this mechanism for eradicating corruption within the force. Commissioner Scipione’s comments were in response to attacks on the Commission by standing members of the New South Wales police force. (21/12/07)

Pakistan: Lawyers in Pakistan have complained of police brutality during a rally on 31 December 2007, at which they sought an audience with deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaundhry. A spokesperson for the lawyers complained that the police issued first information reports (FIRs) against the protesters despite the rally remaining a peaceful exercise of their right to assembly and expression. (19/12/07)

New Zealand: Associate Minister for Justice, the Honourable Nick Barker, announced that Cabinet has approved a number of changes to the Independent Police Conduct Authority which are designed to enhance independence, effectiveness and public confidence in the Authority. An implementation Bill will be introduced to Parliament in early 2008. (17/12/07)

Zimbabwe: According to Amnesty International, violence and torture by Zimbabwe's police against rights activists and opposition members are on the increase despite ongoing mediation efforts. The rights body found police continue to use "excessive force and torture" to suppress freedom of association and assembly by human rights defenders and by members of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change. (14/12/07)

Malaysia: The Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) was unveiled in parliament as the Special Complaints Commission (SCC). It will address complaints of misconduct not just against the police but all enforcement agencies. Under the bill, the SCC will give the police and connected agencies first choice to discipline errant personnel. Failing this, the SCC will take over through a task force. (14/12/07)

Malaysia: Malaysian authorities arrested five ethnic Indian activists Thursday under a security law that allows indefinite detention without trial. The activists are key officials in the Hindu Rights Action Force, or Hindraf, which held a street protest Nov. 25 that drew about 20,000 ethnic Indians complaining about alleged racial discrimination. (13/12/07)

Nigeria: In a report on its year-long monitoring of more than 400 police stations, the Network on Police Reform in Nigeria claimed that police killing, torture, extortion and rape had become routine because the authorities shield their personnel from the legal consequences. According to the report, thousands of detainees are killed annually in encounters with the police and hundreds of detainees die from injuries sustained during torture conducted by the police. (12/12/07)

Guyana: The Caribbean Guyana Institute for Democracy (CGID) criticised the Guyana government and its security forces for what it described as the use of torture as an acceptable instrument of law enforcement and intelligence gathering. The New-York based organisation accuses the government of using security forces to target young African Guyanese men. (11/12/07)

Jamaica: The Prime Minister stated that Jamaican soldiers will join police on patrols on the Caribbean island in a new strategy to fight rising violence. He said the Jamaica Defence Force soldiers may be given the same powers as police officers, but he did not elaborate or specify how many would be assigned to help the 8,000-strong police force. (07/12/07)

Australia: New Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced that there will be an inquiry into the police handling of former terrorism suspect Mohamed Haneef. He stated that an inquiry was necessary to ensure anti-terrorism legislation was kept accountable. He stated: "We want to make sure that with these tough anti-terrorism laws that we've got in Australia that we've got the proper institutional arrangements necessary for their enforcement and the proper checks and balances as well." (06/12/07)

United Kingdom: The Home Secretary watered down proposals to extend the current 28-day time limit for police to hold terrorist suspects after a leaked report and a top anti-terrorism lawyer said that the extension to a 58-day limit was unjustified. The new proposal is that police can only extend the current limit “in the event of an emergency”. (06/12/07)

Pakistan: Twelve police stations across Pakistan participated in the internationally organised “Police Station Visitors Week”. Visitors from a cross section of the community visited police stations and evaluated their services. The Federal Interior Minister announced that Pakistan was committed to improving police performance and aiming to create more people friendly stations and reverse people’s negative perceptions of the police. (06/12/07)

Pakistan: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) arrested the Deputy Inspector General of the Sindh Police on charges of corruption and misuse of powers. (05/12/07)

Pakistan: A coalition of civil society organisations condemned the brutal police actions against peaceful dissent against measures taken in the state of emergency. More lawyers rallied in Lahore after a call to protest against the emergency by the Pakistan and Lahore Bar Associations. (05/12/07)

Antigua and Barbuda: The Prime Minister had discussions with the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office on the reform of the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda, among other issues where the UK could offer assistance. The reform of the Royal Police Force was also an issue of discussion between Antigua and Barbuda, the UK and Canada during the Uganda CHOGM. (05/12/07)

Canada: The Government announced that it will wait to revise the definition of terrorism in the Anti-Terrorism Act until the end of the public inquiry into the Air India bombing and the recommendations that arise from the inquiry. The current definition is criticised for being too broad. A committee of senators is currently examining a government bill to reintroduce two controversial anti-terrorism measures that expired in 2006: one to give police power to force an individual to give testimony with potential of a terrorist attack and the other giving police power to preventively arrest people and detain them for up to 72 hours. (04/12/07)

Nigeria: UK assistance in the proposed reorganisation and reform of the Nigerian Police Force was criticised by some as inappropriate for Nigeria’s needs and the imperatives of systemic political reform and the type of police system that will be truly effective in the country. Others have commented on the inutility of reform unless the police are allowed to perform their roles free from executive interference and political corruption. (04/12/07)

Northern Ireland: The driver of police reform in Northern Ireland, Lord Patten, gave a human rights lecture to the Royal Irish Academy on the issue of democracy and terrorism. (04/12/07)

Sri Lanka: Civil society organisations on Sri Lanka addressed an open letter to the Sri Lankan Government concerning the mass arbitrary arrest and detention of Tamils in and around Colombo, Kalutara, Galle, Puttalam, Pusselawa in a security crackdown following two bombings that killed twenty people. The National Human Rights Commission, which is mandated to monitor arrests and detentions has not received any list of detainees as is required under Presidential Guidelines that were reissued in June 2007. Faced with criticism, a Cabinet Minister announced that it had released many of the 2000 people detained without charge in the police response. (04/12/07)

United Kingdom: Andy Hayman, the anti-terrorism chief of the Metropolitan Police resigned. He was also the head of terrorism at the Association of Police Officers. The resignation came after intense media commentary of a disagreement between him and Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair during the IPCC investigations into the lethal police shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes. (04/12/07)

Kenya: Police in Kenya have used tear gas and water canons to disperse protestors in the aftermath of the 27 December 2007 elections. Amnesty International has expressed concerns about reports that dozens of protestors have been killed and injured by police and has called on the Kenyan authorities to bring the officers responsible to justice. Reports suggest that 300 people have been killed and over 70,000 have been displaced as a result of the violence. (03/12/07)

Canada: The Federal Court in Canada has ruled that the Canadian Border Services Agency is permitted to deport violators who had earlier served in the Sri Lankan police or military and were found to have killed people suspected of being Tamil Tigers rebels on the basis that such people were complicit in war crimes. (03/12/07)

Nigeria: After discussions at the CHOGM in Kampala, President Umaar Yar Ardua announced that the Nigerian Government invited the British to assist in the reform of the Nigeria Police Force. (03/12/07)

New Zealand: The Green Party has requested the Police Complaints Authority to consider whether the introduction of the Taser stun gun as a police tool contravenes New Zealand’s commitments under UN Convention Against Torture. The Green’s request follows the UN Committee Against Torture’s reference on Friday to Taser stun guns as a ‘tool of torture’. (27/11/07)

New Zealand: The Police Complaints Authority Chief, Justice Lowell Goddard, QC, has called for a truly independent Police Complaints Authority to promote public confidence in the police. Justice Goddard criticised the Authority’s reliance on police to conduct their own investigations into complaints made against them. (28/11/07)

Kenya: A group of Kenyan human rights lawyers claim that over 8,000 Kenyans have been tortured to death or executed by Kenyan police since the 1992 crack-down on the banned Mungiki sect. Earlier this month, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights implicated Kenya police in the ‘execution-style deaths’ of 500 Mungiki’s in June and October. (25/11/07)

Nigeria: The Nigerian Government has requested the assistance of the British Police to reform and train the Nigerian Police. The Nigerian Interior Minister said that the British Government is ready to assist, and the nature and scope of the collaboration to be worked out by a committee constituted by retired and senior police officers. (27/11/07)

Nigeria: Nine Nigerian police officers have been sacked by the Inspector General of Police for allegedly extorting money from motorists in Abuja. (27/11/07)

South Africa: Manenberg police station, despite being located in the heart of gangland, has been named one of the best police stations in South Africa. Police Superintendent Andre Bosman credits the station’s successes to its commitment to accountability, whereby police officers are held accountable for the level of crime and number of arrests on their beat. (27/11/07)

England: The Local Government Network has released a report which highlights the lack of police accountability in London. The Network’s spokesperson has called for public debate around the issue of accountability. (25/11/07)

India: Chandigarh Sector 17 Police Station has been awarded international certification ISO-9001:2000 for meeting good service standards. The station adopted a number of initiatives including formal feedback mechanisms and a toll free help line for senior citizens. However, the Administrator General stressed the need for continued improvement to the station’s service delivery, the feedback processes and filing of FIRs by aggrieved persons. (28/11/07)

India: Following three days of rioting in the capital, a deputy commissioner and senior superintendent of police in Assam have been transferred. The Tarun Gogoi ministry said that the transfers were necessary to ensure police accountability for the failure to take measures against events which preceded the mob violence. (27/11/07)

India: Justice S N Dhingra of the Delhi High Court has strongly criticised Delhi police for failing to cooperate in the arrest and prosecution of 11 allegedly corrupt Members of Parliament. His Honour said that the police’s conduct demonstrated an attitude ‘that corruption itself is not bad but exposure of corruption is bad’. (28/11/07)

India: The leader of the Communist Party of India has complained about the role of the Central Reserve Police Force in responding to violence in Nandigram. The Police Force are alleged to have precipitated violence and failed to work in collaboration with the local administration to restore order. (29/11/07)

Northern Ireland: The European Court of Human Rights found that Britain’s investigation into alleged collusion between the Northern Ireland police and Protestant loyalist forces was not sufficiently independent. The investigation began in 1999 when a former officer of the Royal Ulster Constabulary (now called the North Ireland Police Service) blew the whistle on collusion. (27/11/07)

Northern Ireland: A dissident group of the Irish Republican Army (IRA), the Real IRA, has threatened to continue shooting police officers in an effort to dissuade Catholics from joining the police force. The threats undermine the police reform project, which aims to increase representation of Catholics within police ranks. Earlier this month, the Real IRA shot two off-duty police officers. (29/11/07)

Trinidad & Tobago: Former head of the police Firearms and Interdiction Unit has accused the Southern Division of the Trinidad Police Service of corruption, both generally and in respect of gun and drug rackets. The complainant has publicly stated that he has no confidence in the Assistant Commissioner appointed by the Police Service to investigate his claims. (29/11/07)

Jamaica: Measures to establish a new police oversight body have been approved by Cabinet. The new body will replace the existing Police Public Complaints Authority and will investigate complaints of ‘great public concern’. However, the investigation of complaints with ‘less’ public impact will be conducted by security forces under the management or supervision of the new body. (28/11/07)

Fiji: A New Zealand citizen, Ballu Khan, is alleged to have been seized by Fiji's military and tortured amid claims of a plot to assassinate military leader Voreqe Bainimarama, who seized power in a coup last December. (23/11/07)

India: In the aftermath of allegations of police brutality over the Nandigram affair, police exhibited restraint during subsequent demonstrations. Under orders not to fire, the police force — comprising men from five police stations and 100 RAF personnel — instead used teargas, firing around 200 rounds through the day. (22/11/07)

Uganda: The Uganda Human Rights Commission has urged the Commonwealth to look into allegations of torture committed by Ugandan police forces and the Ugandan army. (22/11/07)

Trinidad & Tobago: David Abdulah, President of the Federation of Independent Trade Unions and Non-governmental organisations (FITUN), criticised the country's criminal justice system. Specifically, he accused the police of using excessive force against youths and said that the entire system is in a state of collapse. (22/11/07)

Pakistan: In an effort to prevent protestors from staging a demonstration, Karachi policemen thrashed senior journalists who were leading the rally. The baton charge left dozens of journalists, both men and women, injured. (21/11/07)

Nigeria: The Federal Government has been called upon to launch an independent public inquiry in light of official statistics indicating that police have shot and killed more than 8,000 Nigerians since 2000. Inspector General of Police Mike Okiro announced that 785 suspected 'armed robbers' were shot and killed in gunfire exchanges with the police between June and the beginning of September 2007. (20/11/07)

Zambia: After a rash of fatal shootings perpetrated by police officers, Home Affairs Minister Ronnie Shikapwasha directed Commissioner of Police Francis Kabonde to withdraw firearms from irresponsible officers to reduce such occurrences. Human Rights Commission Director Enoch Mulembe stated that the Zambia Police should account for every life taken by a police officer in the line of duty. (19/11/07)

Canada: The provincial government of British Columbia has announced a full public inquiry into the death of Robert Dziekanski, a Polish immigrant who died after Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers shocked him with a Taser at Vancouver International Airport. The federal government is waiting until investigations into the matter are complete before deciding if additional action needs to be taken. (19/11/07)

Jamaica: Mark Shields, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Jamaica), testified for four days before a coroner’s inquest that was called to investigate the death of Pakistan cricket coach Bob Woolmer. During his testimony, Shields attempted to explain the controversial actions of police officers in the immediate aftermath of Woolmer’s death. (18/11/07)

Sri Lanka: Despite well documented cases of police brutality and torture compiled by the Asian Human Rights Commission, no investigation has been conducted by the Inspector General of Police, the Attorney General's Department, the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka, or the National Police Commission into the allegations. (16/11/07)

Pakistan: The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) condemned the illegal detention of its supporters opposing the state of emergency. The PPP alleged that supporters have been subject to baton charging, tear gassing and aerial firing, and that brutal human rights violations were being committed by the police. (15/11/07)

Pakistan: Police arrested Pakistani Politician Imran Khan as he was taking part in a student protest in Lahore against General Musharraf’s state of emergency. Police said he would be charged under anti-terrorism laws. He was previously being held in custody under a 90-day house arrest detention order. (15/11/07)

Bangladesh: A local leader of the Bangladesh Chhatara League alleged he was tortured and critically injured in police custody. (13/11/07)

New Zealand: Parliament voted to strengthen existing anti-terrorism laws through the enactment of the Terrorism Suppression Amendment Bill. The Government claims that the Bill had no relevance to police raids in October and the Solicitor-General’s decision not to charge people under the current anti-terrorism laws. (13/11/07)

Zimbabwe: Women of Zimbabwe Arise have blamed police torture for the death of their founding member. (13/11/07)

Australia: A hearing by the Victorian Office of Police Integrity (OPI) into police corruption and confidential information leaks resulted in the resignation of a number of implicated Victoria Police officers. The OPI held a public hearing on 7 November, with the purpose of enhancing public confidence in the OPI and Victoria Police. (12/11/07)

United Kingdom: Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair stated his intention to retain his position despite criticism over the handling of the Jean Charles de Menezes shooting and pressure that he quit. (12/1107)

New Zealand: The Maori Law Commissioner called for the investigation of police conduct in anti-terrorism raids carried out in October and wants New Zealand’s anti-terrorism act repealed. (11/11/07)

United Kingdom: The family of Jean Charles de Menezes demanded the resignation of Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair. (11/11/07)

Malaysia: Hundreds of riot police were deployed and police used water canons and tear gas against crowds at a banned rally protesting against changes to Malaysia’s electoral system. It was Malaysia’s biggest anti-government protest in almost ten years, with estimated numbers at 30,000. (10/11/07)

Ghana: Following a dispute between police chiefs that led to brutal clashes between the police and the community in the Volta region, CHRI called for the appointment of a new Regional Police Commissioner. It also called for the prosecution of those officers in charge of the operations. (09/11/07)

Kenya: At a Presidential Committee investigating renditions, women gave evidence of the abusive arrests and interrogations carried out by the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit (09/11/07)

Pakistan: Leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Nawaz Sharif condemned police violence taking place under the state of emergency against lawyers, students and human rights groups. (09/11/07)

Zimbabwe: The International Bar Association condemned the Zimbabwean police force of being partisan and severely repressive. Their report stated that there are few guarantees of a free and fair election (scheduled for March next year) due to evidence of widespread police abuses including torture, intimidation and illegal arrest (08/11/07)

Kenya: Major-General Hussein Ali, Kenya’s Police Commissioner, accused the Kenya National Human Rights Commission of tainting the Kenya Police in order to justify its existence. (07/11/07)

Pakistan: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz called on police to enhance their role in maintaining law and order and protecting lives of citizens, in an address to a the National Police Academy. He also stated that police reforms were “the cornerstone of the government’s overall agenda of improving governance in the country.” (07/11/07)

Kenya: The Kenya National Human Rights Commission (KNHCR) accused police of killing nearly 500 people in the crackdown on Mungiki sect members between June and October 2007. The Commission has issued a report. (06/11/07)

Pakistan: Up to 500 people were arrested by police after General Musharraf declared a state of emergency on 3 November 2007. Police sources stated that up to 1500 were on a list of people to be arrested. (04/11/07)

United Kingdom: Speaking before a counter-terrorism debate in the House of Commons, Home Secretary stated that the government has not decided how long police should be able to hold terrorism suspects without charge. There is presently a 28-day detention limit. The Conservatives suggested a 58-day limit. (07/11/07)

United Kingdom: Sri Lankan Colonel Karuna – the head of a LTTE breakaway group Tamileela Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TVMP) accused of severe human rights violations – was arrested in the UK in a joint operation between the newly-created Border and Immigration Agency and the Metropolitan police. He was arrested for travelling on a false passport. Human rights groups demanded an investigation into war crimes allegations. The Home Office said if appropriate they would refer the case to the Metropolitan Police for criminal action. (02/11/07)

Namibia: The lawyer for an accused facing rape charges claimed that police tortured his client to induce a confession. (06/11/07)

Pakistan: Police emboldened by state of emergency powers arrested hundreds of activists and opposition members and placing them in custody in government buildings and barbed-wire compounds. (04/11/07)

Pakistan: The High Court of Sindh (SHC) demanded that investigations police bring a suspect before the Karachi division of the Anti-Terrorism Court after hearing a constitutional petition challenging the legality of his detention. He alleges that the police tortured him and forced him to confess he belonged to a criminal gang. (01/11/07)

South Africa: The Institute for Security Studies hosted a conference considering policing in South Africa with topics of debate including the proposed restructure of the police service and the impact of Community Police Forums (CPFs) on police accountability. (01/11/07)

Uganda: More allegations have emerged of torture by the Rapid Response Unit (RRU) of the Ugandan police, formerly the Violent Crimes Crack Unit (VCCU). The victim alleges to have been transferred to a secret police cells without food until a human rights group located him. Earlier this year the RRU were condemned by Amnesty International for the torture of over forty individuals held in incommunicado detention in August. (01/11/07)

United Kingdom: London police have been found guilty over the lethal shooting of Brazilian Jean Charles de Menezes, mistaken for a suicide bomber, in 2005. The Office of the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police have been found guilty of the single charge of breaching health and safety rules which require it to protect the public. The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) will be publishing a report on the incident. (01/11/07)

India: Police in Kochi are taking part in a “Global Police Station Visit” week organised by an international organisation, Altus Global Alliance. Aiming to improve public safety and justice with an emphasis on police accountability, the public were asked to visit their local police stations and assess the service. The organisations states that, last year, 471 stations in 23 countries were selected for “identifying good practices in use and strengthening the accountability of police to the public.” (01/11/07)

India: A fact-finding report by the Andhra Pradesh Minority Commission has been given to the government detailing the frightening torture techniques of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Hyderabad police. The SIT has been investigating the August bombings that took place in the southern Indian city. Over one hundred suspects have allegedly been arrested and detained in isolation and the police have reportedly carried our midnight raids and arrests. (01/11/07)

Fiji: Calls have been made for the Anti-Corruption Commission to be properly independent from the police department. Also in Fiji, charges of murder and assault have been laid by the DPP against eight soldiers and a police officer implicated in the murder of a 19-year-old who dies in military custody last January. Local rights groups have congratulated the DPP for its independence. (01/11/07)

Australia: The Crimes Act in the state of Victoria has allowed anti-corruption police officers (from the Office of Police Integrity) to use assumed identities when investigating police corruption. Also in Victoria, the State Premier John Brumby continues to oppose the set-up of an anti-police corruption body, stating that the Office of Police Integrity is adequate. This is in contrast to federal Labor leader Kevin Rudd who has stated that independent anti-corruption commissions are crucial. (31/10/07)

Canada: The recent death of a man subdued by the RCMP using taser guns has prompted renewed calls for an independent civilian agency to investigate civilian police-related deaths from the British Columbia Civil Liberties Association. (30/10/07)

Pakistan: At a meeting of the National Public Safety Commission (NPSC), current Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz expressed urged for the establishment of a credible system of police accountability and has directed all chief ministers to implement the Police Order 2002, especially those sections relating to the fixing of three-year terms for district police officers and station officers. (31/10/07)

Sri Lanka: The Special Rapporteur on Torture visited from 1 to 8 October to “assess the situation of torture and ill-treatment in the country [by both police and security forces and non-government forces including the LTTE], and to strengthen a process of sustained cooperation with the Government to assist it in its efforts to improve the administration of justice.” He concluded that torture is widely practiced in Sri Lanka, also visiting police stations and receiving detainees’ first hand accounts of torture. Although some accountability mechanisms are in place they are not functioning to the best of their ability and there needs to be independent and effective mechanisms to make regular surprise visits to all places of detention in Sri Lanka, conduct private interviews with detainees and medically examine them. He believes this is the most effective way to prevent torture. (29/10/07)

India: Two Kerala Armed Police officers were suspended for the torture of four people. (29/10/07)

United Kingdom: Human rights groups in Scotland have collected evidence on the role of Scottish airports in rendition flights and given it to the Crown office for investigation. Groups have been calling out for the Scottish government agree on an “anti-rendition” policy banning the transportation of terrorism suspects from the airport to places where they may be tortured. (28/10/07)

Australia: Civil liberties groups have slammed new surveillance laws in the state of NSW giving police greater powers to install, monitor and retrieve a range of surveillance devices. NSW Council for Civil Liberties said the laws “remove police accountability and could lead to an abuse of power”. (25/10/07)

Pakistan: Rising complaints of police brutality and lawlessness resulted in the suspension of four policemen by Inspector General of Punjab Police Ahmad Nasim in Lahore. (25/10/07)

Bangladesh: Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) prepared to introduce a complaints mechanism, whereby victims can lodge complaints of police harassment to deputy police commissioners and illegal arrests will be punished. Additionally, the DMP plans to hold a motivational training workshop addressing the issue of harassment for 23,500 uniformed and 804 civilian force members. (24/10/07)

Kenya: Kenya police denied carrying out extra-judicial killings of alleged members of the outlawed Mungiki sect after allegations were made by the Kenya National Human Rights Commission (KNHCR). (24/10/07)

Pakistan: Chief Justice Chaudhry of the Supreme Court declared the deployment of plain clothes police officers illegal. On the same day a judge ordered nine police officials misusing their powers in the illegal detention and torture of an under trial prisoner near Islamabad be brought before the court. (24/10/07)

Pakistan: In the investigation into the Karachi bomb blasts killing almost 140 people, Former Prime Minister Benezir Bhutto and the Pakistan Peoples’ Party requested the removal of a Deputy Inspector General of Police from the investigation because he was present in 1999 when her husband was almost killed by police torture. (21/10/07)

India: criticism was levelled at police playing an indirect role by standing mute at scenes of “street justice” while mobs carried out attacks. (19/10/07)

Malaysia: In an unprecedented landmark case, a former detainee under the Internal Security Act was awarded damages of RM2.5 million (US$740,000) in a suit filed against the police and government in 1998. The judge held that his arrest and 57 days in detention were unlawful because they were done in bad faith and for political purposes, rather than for any reason of national security. (19/10/07)

Nigeria: A team of police reportedly opened fire on a young man peacefully celebrating in the Eid El-Fitri festival. (19/10/07)

Australia: An inquiry by the Crime and Misconduct Commission into the policing of indigenous communities in far north Queensland was commenced. There have been numerous allegations of police brutality in indigenous communities. (18/10/07)

India: The Andhra Pradesh Minorities Commission in Hyderabad has listed at least twenty Muslims tortured by police during terrorism investigations. (17/10/07)

Australia: A counter-terrorism conference with a focus on counter-terrorism policing and culturally diverse communities was held in Melbourne. (16/10/07)

Botswana: At a police workshop in Gaborone, a former police commissioner called for police supervisors to take responsibility in reducing police corruption, with an emphasis on training and education for public officers in addition to oversight mechanisms. (16/10/07)

Uganda: A new Human Rights Watch report identified serious human rights violations in the law enforcement functions of the Ugandan People’s Defence Force (UPDF) in the Karamoja region. (16/10/07)

New Zealand: Hundreds of armed New-Zealand police were involved in large-scale anti-terrorism raids in Northern New Zealand. If charged under New Zealand’s Terrorism Suppression Act, it will be the first time NZ’s counter-terrorism laws have been used. The raids have been met with criticism. (15/10/07)

Canada: Three Canadian Muslims alleging they were tortured in a Syrian Prison as a result of faulty information from Canadian authorities, called for the Government to make public the closed-door federal inquiry into their allegations. (12/10/07)

Canada: a national conference held by the Canadian Association for Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement looked at a shift towards more independent police complaints investigations. (11/10/07)

Northern Ireland: The Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman Office released an independent report over the first man to be fatally shot by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Ombudsman Nuala O’Loan criticised the operation but accepted the shooting was justified. (11/10/07)

South Africa: The torture and death of suspects in police custody was reported in Mpumalanga. Despite reports to the contrary, the Police Commissioner claimed that the Independent Complaints Directorate (ICD) is investigating. (11/10/07)