Portugal presented at the United Nations a set of initiatives it took to prevent abuse and discrimination by the police. What is at stake are concerns raised by other countries.
The Portuguese State presented this Wednesday before the UN Human Rights Council the initiatives it took to prevent discrimination and abuses by security forces, in response to concerns expressed by other countries and organizations.
The exhibition took place in Geneva, Switzerland, at the fourth “universal periodic review” of Portugal, in which the national delegation participated, led by the Secretaries of State for Foreign Affairs, Nuno Sampaio, of Justice, María Clara Figueiredo, and of Social Action. and Inclusion, Clara Marques Mendes, reported on the evolution since the previous evaluation, in 2019.
The Secretary of State for Justice dedicated part of her intervention to answering questions previously asked by the delegations of the United States and Belgium.
The two states asked about the measures taken by Portugal to resolve “cases of harassment, discrimination, misconduct and police abuse against members of ethnic minorities and immigrants” and to respond to the Council of Europe’s recommendation to review the way in which “the allegations of ill-treatment by police officers.”
The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, among other bodies, had also expressed last year its “deep concern” about reports of “acts of racially motivated violence, ill-treatment, racial discrimination, abuse of authority and excessive use of the force.” by police officers against ethnic minorities and migrants, namely gypsies, Africans and people of African descent.”
The Secretary of State for Justice highlighted that, “In 2021, Portugal approved a Plan for the Prevention of Manifestations of Discrimination in the Security Forces and Services“.
This plan “includes measures in the field of recruitment, with a stricter examination of the psychological evaluation of candidates and providing for active measures to attract a more diverse group of candidates, both from the point of view of gender and from the point of view of ethnicity or socioeconomic profile,” he added.
María Clara Figueiredo pointed out that the The plan “also includes measures in the field of training”The hours dedicated to human rights and the fight against discrimination have substantially increased, both in initial and continuing training.”
“Within the framework of the plan, internal manuals have also been published that more strictly regulate the interaction of members of the security forces with the general population,” he continued, adding that “the General Inspection of Internal Administration was provided with more financial and human resources.” .
In addition to the plan, the minister highlighted “the public contract for the progressive acquisition of ‘bodycams’” that must be used “by all members of the security forces”, as well as the creation “of more robust systems for collecting and processing data, in order to guarantee that all information related to an arrest is duly recorded.”
“I also highlight the legislative change of 2021 that made it mandatory to perform an autopsy in situations of death in police custody. or associated with a police or military intervention,” he continued.
The minister also highlighted the signing, in 2023, of a protocol between the general directorate of penitentiary services and the general inspections of the Interior Administration and Justice, which “accelerates and facilitates the transmission of information whenever it is verified that a person has left a prison.” police detention center.” and entry into a penitentiary establishment shows signs of mistreatment.”
The prevention of abuses by police forces in Portugal is one of the issues that raises recommendations in these “universal periodic reviews”.
Established in 2006, this Human Rights Council mechanism requires each UN member state to undergo a peer review of its human rights record every four and a half years, and for each country to have the opportunity to report on measures. has taken to improve the human rights situation. situation and receive recommendations.
As it is a “peer review” exercise and not independent expert committees, in this mechanism the States issue recommendations to each other, based on a report presented by the State examined and contributions from interested parties, that is, , national human rights institutions. .
Source: Observadora
