Human rights association
"FREERIGHTS"

History

In 2005-2010 Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine supported by non-governmental organizations founded three institutions important for establishment of a public control over the Police and its compliance with international human rights standards. Mentioned institutions are listed below:

In 2005-2010 Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine supported by non-governmental organizations founded three institutions important for establishment of a public control over the Police and its compliance with international human rights standards. Mentioned institutions are listed below:

  • mobile teams on monitoring special institutions of the MIA (temporary detention centers, rooms for delivered, remand centers for children) as a prototype of National Preventive Mechanism against tortures (since 2004);
  • public council on human rights within the MIA and its regional departments (since 2005);
  • Department of human rights monitoring on law-enforcement (UMDPL) in the structure of MIA. It was a unique institution for Ukraine operating as a Police Ombudsman from 2008 to 2010.

Work of those institutions, regardless of the “old guard” resistance from departments’ heads, ensured transparency of law enforcement. After the change of Ukrainian Government in March 2010, MIA significantly changed its attitude towards human rights. New Minister of the MIA abolished the Administration of human rights monitoring. Dismissal of employees was made in short terms against all norms of labor legislation.

In the situation human rights activists together with employees of the former Administration decided to establish a special public control sector on law enforcement bodies. All-Ukrainian organization “Association of Ukrainian human rights monitors on law enforcement” was the major “engine” of this process. It was established in June 2010 and united former employees of the Administration.

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