The Ombudsman’s Institution on Tuesday presented its findings from the past 24 hours of the protest in Tirana.
Ahmet Prençi, head of the NPM (National Preventive Mechanism against Torture) at the Ombudsman’s office, who published the findings at a press conference, said that the claims of five minors about physical and verbal abuse at Police Station No. 1 are alarming, with signs of physical injury found on two of them.
Some of the Ombudsman’s findings
Procedural guarantees for minors
At Police Station No. 1, minors were not given the rights form. After our intervention, the form for adults was provided, but it was also outdated. Six minors were registered in the adults’ register. At Police Station No. 4, the minors’ register was only partially completed.
Violence against adults
People who were escorted claimed they were subjected to violence during the moment of detention, including the use of pepper spray and tear gas, being struck with tear gas canisters, being dragged along the ground, as well as physical and psychological violence by State Police officers. One complainant claimed they were beaten in an office at Police Station No. 4, where there are no security cameras.
Phone checks
Some minors and adults reported that they were asked to unlock their mobile phones and allow checks of personal data, without a court order, even when no charges had been brought by the prosecution.
Escorts without individual cause
Some complainants state that they were taken to the police station without a lawful basis, as they were passers-by with no connection to the protest.
Around 109 arrested persons are held in the Security Block. The overcrowding of the premises is directly linked to the lack of beds, water, heating and medical care.
Identification of police officers
At Police Stations No. 2 and 4, police officers without identification numbers were recorded, as well as data gaps in the escort registers.
In conclusion:
We emphasize that the right to peaceful assembly is guaranteed by the Constitution and that protesters must exercise it peacefully. We condemn every act of violence, regardless of who commits it.
The State Police has a duty to guarantee public safety, but force must be used only when absolutely necessary and in a proportionate manner.
Also, every police officer must be identifiable and bear individual responsibility for the actions they carry out.
Minors have special guarantees that cannot be bypassed under any circumstances.
Based on what we have found so far, we demand:
State Police: The identification of every officer on duty is mandatory, with a clearly visible identification number, as well as the identification of vehicles in every operation.
Ministry of Interior: To urgently intervene over the overcrowding in the Security Block, with an immediate reduction in the number of persons and their transfer to other facilities within legal capacity.
State Police: To install cameras in every escort and interview room, in every office, with footage retention, and to immediately preserve footage from October 19.
State Police: No phone checks are permitted without a court order, and no requests for passwords without a legal basis.
State Police: To ensure in every case the presence of a parent or guardian and a psychologist for any interview with a minor; the rights form in the child-friendly version must be provided before every question; a separate register must be kept for minors.
State Police: To carry out ongoing training on the proportionate use of force and tear gas.
State Police: To complete the escort registers with all required data.
Ministry of Health and State Police: To ensure that a doctor is available at all times in escort facilities and that every injury is medically documented, in accordance with the Istanbul Protocol.