PROTECTING POLITICAL NEUTRALITY

IN POLICE ACTIVITY

Newsletter #1

This newsletter was prepared by Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) within the frameworks of the project
Protecting Political Neutrality in Police Activity
The project is funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands program Matra. The opinions expressed in this newsletter do not
necessarily reflect the position of the Embassy. EMC is responsible for the content.

ABOUT THE PROJECT

Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) has been implementing the project Protecting Political
Neutrality in Police Activity since July 2015.
The aim of the project is to support the process of depoliticizing of law enforcement agencies. For this purpose, within the
project frameworks, it is planned to monitor police activities and document the probable facts of violating political neutrality. Monitoring of police activities will be conducted according to special monitoring methodology created within the project
framework.

CHALLENGES IN PROTECTING POLICE NEUTRALITY

During the last year, EMC worked intensively on analysis for institutional arrangements for law enforcement agencies.
The conducted research revealed high risks of politicizing the police and this has systemic basis.
The Minister of Internal Affairs, who holds a political office, has a special authority to interfere with and define the police
work. The ability of a cabinet member to influence police activities creates additional hazards of violating
political neutrality.

At the same time, within the Ministry of Internal Affairs, professional police management is not strong or easily identifiable.
It can be said that the Minister maintains the status of the first policeman, which reduces the functional independence of
the police from the political administration.
Important departments such as criminal police and patrol police, which have everyday interactions with citizens, are not
appropriately distanced from the central branch of the administration. The political figure, in fact has unlimited competence over the work of the mentioned departments.
The risks of politicizing the police system are especially high since the mechanisms for inside inspection, discipline and
encouragement are in the hands of the heads of the ministry and the clear and transparent practice of using these mechanisms is non-existent. In these conditions, the risks of manipulating these mechanisms are also high.

NECESSITY TO MONITOR POLICE ACTIVITIES

The experience of monitoring police in Georgia is very limited. Resources concerning political neutrality of police are especially scarce. The given matter becomes even more acute in the pre-election period, when there is a risk that the competence and the resources of the law enforcement agencies may be misused.
Unfortunately, reliable and based on evidence data on police politicizing is hard to obtain, which hinders the process of effectively advocating, conducting discussion and positioning with the state.
In these conditions, EMC finds it necessary to create additional information and resources, which will be based on the
results of monitoring implemented by using well-functioning and sustainable methodology.

PROJECT AIMS

Defining indicators for police politicizing

Creating main instrument of the research monitoring methodology, which may be used for assessing political neutrality of the police in different periods of time;

Implementing monitoring of the police activities and creating data on police neutrality which is reliable and based on
evidence;

Identifying basic tendencies of police work;

Reducing the risks of police politicizing on legal and practical level.

IMPLEMENTED/PLANNED ACTIVITIES

Focus groups with non-governmental organizations and political parties; working visit to Kakheti region;

Trainings for media organizations

Obtaining/processing relevant public information;

Interviews with former and active police officers, as well as observer organizations and professional circles;

Conducting monitoring of police activities

Preparing periodic newsletter;

Preparing unified reports summing up monitoring results at the end of the project;

Creating specific recommendations for changing the policy and legislation;

GEOGRAPHIC AREA OF THE PROJECT

Police monitoring will be conducted in Kakheti and Tbilisi. Monitoring area was selected because of geographic accessibility. Also, taking into account the severity and nature of law violation instances by the police, as well as the availability
of information about them.

POSSIBLE INDICATORS OF POLITICIZING

SUBJECT
ACTIVITY
EXPRESSION
PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
DOUBLE STANDARDS
SUBJECT
The addressee of police activity (or inactivity). This could include the subjects of law violation, violence, abuse of
power, or, in general, abuse of authority by policemen. While discussing the possible addressees, it is important to
determine the degree of the political activity of specific individuals; this includes whether the individual is a member/activist of a specific political group, is affiliated with any political groups. This also includes whether the individual is related to specific political powers/leaders/representatives, which could have been the basis of interest
towards that individual;

ACTIVITY
This implies the activities of the addressee of violence, abuse of power, or, in general, used authority by policemen
(if such activities did take place). The political significance and influence of this activity, for example, protest, demonstration, performance or any other action of the individual. It will also be considered whether the activities are directed (directly/indirectly) against/support any political groups, which could have been the basis of interest towards
that individual;
EXPRESSION
The language/terminology used by the policeman directly during the activities, verbal assault/attack or expressed
sympathies towards any political groups/leaders;
PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
This implies the evaluations of political officials, high-ranking public servants or other influential persons/representatives of the political elite on specific societal events/facts. Such public announcements could precede police activity
or could be made post factum;
DOUBLE STANDARDS
This implies different/inconsistent behavior during identical events, or consistent (inadequate) behavior in different
contexts. Double standards can be discussed if in situations similar to the case in question, the police adopts absolutely different approach/practice. Such behavior of policemen can be conditioned by the existence of one or more
factors mentioned above.

METHODOLOGY

KEY MONITORING DIRECTIONS

Formal Texts

Police Practices

Attitudes

Public Positioning

DIRECTIONS:

DIRECTIONS:

DIRECTIONS:

DIRECTIONS:

a. Legislation;
b. Internal regulations;
c. International
standards and
experience.

a. Public gatherings
and demonstrations;
b. Drug-related
detention and arrest.

Attitude study among

policemen:

Positioning of highranking officials:

a. Regarding their rights

and responsibilities;
b. Political neutrality
and independence;
c. Rule of law.

a. Official
announcements;
b. Statements released in social
media;
c. Communication
with the media.

INSTRUMENTS:
a. Comparative study;
b. Analysis

INSTRUMENTS:
a. Observation guide;
b. Interview guide for
injured party;
c. Police and court
resolutions.

INSTRUMENTS:
a. Quantitative research
questionnaire.

INSTRUMENTS:
a. Discourse analysis
methodology.

ANALYSIS OF FORMAL TEXTS

liability of policemen (if available). In addition,

theformalized interview guide will be used to obtain
information from the victims.

This part of research includes the study and analysis of

relevant legislative acts and internal documents in light
of existing international standards and best practices
ATTITUDES
related to political neutrality of the police. The purpose
is to show how the existing normative frameworks allow The study of the attitudes of policemen will be aimed at
for increased political neutrality of the police;
the investigation of the attitudes of the law enforcers,
specifically, the degree of adequateness and
POLICE PRACTICES
Monitoring of police practices will focus on two main areas: 1) public gatherings and demonstrations;
2) utilization of drug crimes and arrest/detention of
persons for such crimes. In both cases, specific
instances will be selected according to two aspects:
a) possible violation of police obligations determined by
the law; b) the existence of one or more indicators of
politicization as pre-defined by the project team.

comprehensiveness of their attitudes towards their own

functions/obligations, political neutrality, and independence. Using the quantitative survey questionnaire prepared by an expert, the project team will analyze the
obtained information, taking into account the legal, political, and social aspects.
PUBLIC POSITIONING

This part of the study involves the transformation of

publicly announced statements of high-ranking officials
The study of police behavior on public demonstrations
(including statements disseminated through traditional
will be based on the observation guide, as well as on
media, social networks, and other official and public
the information disseminated through pre-identified
sources) into verbal material and consequential dismedia outlets, a formalized interview questionnaire
course analysis, aimed at the identification of political
prepared for (alleged) victims, and police/court resolucontexts. The main research instrument will be the distions. While examining cases of arrest/detention on drug course analysis methodology prepared by an external
crimes, specific attention will be paid to the case
expert, which will determine the period and main stages
litigation materials (administrative and criminal law
of the analysis, sources of information and the indicators
cases) and case materials on disciplinary/criminal
important for the study of the context of politicization.

PARTNERS AND PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION TEAM

In creating the methodology documents the project team is supported by an outside expert
holding relevant qualification and experience. Discourse analysis of the public positioning
of high-ranking officials will also be conducted by persons with expert knowledge.
As for other directions of the monitoring, EMC is responsible for their implementation. In order to fully achieve the project goals, the project team will cooperate with local and regional
media and non-governmental organizations.
EMC will attempt to establish active communication with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and
other relevant governmental agencies. EMC plans to share the results of the monitoring
with the ministry beforehand.

adamianis uflebebis swavlebisa da monitoringis centri (EMC)

HUMAN RIGHTS EDUCATION AND MONITORING CENTER (EMC)
Address: 3 Shanidze Str., Tbilisi, Georgia.
Tel: +995 032 2 23 15 58
humanrightsemc@gmail.com
www.emc.org.ge
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twitter: @EMCrighst