Ministry of Interior Holds its Employees Accountable

On 2 June 2001, the Assistance Undersecretary for Legal Affairs in the Interior Ministry said that the strategy of the Ministry is to strongly adhere to the law and the Constitution. He added that the Ministry works under a number of guidelines and procedures, which guarantee the non-occurrence of breaches against detainees. In the unlikely case of any violations, certain measures are to be taken as the Ministry is keen to investigate any violations committed by any of its members in detention centres or in the street, considering this a legal obligation.

The Assistant also stated that so far in 2011, 20 cases have been investigated, covering complaints and allegations against the police for ill-treatment and physical assaults. Four of these cases were referred to criminal trials; 12 are pending awaiting forensic reports or due to the failure of some detainees to turn up for questioning. Five cases have been frozen due to insufficient evidence.

He added that a case was previously investigated by the Ministry of Interiors’ Military Prosecutor regarding the death of one detainee in April 2011, where the guards and officials of the detention centre were all interrogated, and two were found guilty. The death of two other detainees was also investigated and the medical records of one of them proved that the cause of death was sickle cell anaemia. Investigations of recent deaths are still continuing.