Newsroom
OSCE Mission to Skopje promotes external oversight of law-enforcement bodies
SKOPJE 4 December 2006
SKOPJE, 4 December 2006 - Establishing independent external oversight mechanisms for law-enforcement bodies was the focus of a discussion, organized today by the OSCE Spillover Monitor Mission to Skopje and the Macedonian Centre for International Co-operation.
Participants at the event, including local and international experts, agreed that the current control mechanisms over law enforcement agencies are not adequate. They agreed to form a working group consisting of government officials, legal experts, representatives of civil society and the international community, to assist authorities in this respect.
"Under the European Convention on Human Rights states are obliged to conduct thorough and effective investigations whenever serious allegations of misbehavior arise against law enforcement officials. The roundtable is exploring whether the current investigative mechanisms meet those requirements," said Unit Victor Ullom, Head of the Mission's Rule of Law Department.
Mirjana Najcevska, President of the local Helsinki Committee, added: "The Council of Europe has recommended creating independent oversight bodies within law enforcement agencies to promote and protect human rights. Such departments can help oversee and improve the human rights situation, especially in emerging democracies."
Participants at the event, including local and international experts, agreed that the current control mechanisms over law enforcement agencies are not adequate. They agreed to form a working group consisting of government officials, legal experts, representatives of civil society and the international community, to assist authorities in this respect.
"Under the European Convention on Human Rights states are obliged to conduct thorough and effective investigations whenever serious allegations of misbehavior arise against law enforcement officials. The roundtable is exploring whether the current investigative mechanisms meet those requirements," said Unit Victor Ullom, Head of the Mission's Rule of Law Department.
Mirjana Najcevska, President of the local Helsinki Committee, added: "The Council of Europe has recommended creating independent oversight bodies within law enforcement agencies to promote and protect human rights. Such departments can help oversee and improve the human rights situation, especially in emerging democracies."