6 July 1994

Doc. 7121

MOTION FOR AN ORDER

on the rights and duties of police officers

proposed by Mr MASSERET and others 1

1.       The Assembly believes that the full exercise of the human rights and fundamental freedoms guaranteed by the European Convention on Human Rights presupposes the existence of a peaceful society in which order and public safety prevail.

2.       It believes that the police play a vital role in all member states, that they are frequently called on to intervene in situations which expose their officers to danger and that their tasks are further complicated when universally applicable rules of conduct are not defined clearly enough.

3.       The Assembly takes the view that police force members who have committed human rights violations in the course of their duties, for which they are held personally responsible, or who have belonged to a police unit which has been disbanded because of the inhuman nature of its methods may not be employed as police officers.

4.       It believes that Europe's human rights protection system would be strengthened if the police were bound by a professional code of conduct which takes account of human rights and fundamental freedoms.

5.       The Assembly believes that police officers should, ideally, enjoy the active support, both in moral and material terms, of the community in which they perform their duties.

6.       It takes the view that police officers should enjoy the same status and rights as civil servants.

7.       The Assembly has therefore decided to prepare a report on the rights and duties of police officers and asks its Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, its Committee on Parliamentary and Public Relations and the Secretary General of the Council of Europe to publicise it as widely as possible.

Signed:

Masseret, Jung, Ottenbourg, Columberg, Ghesquière, Panov,

Roman, Palacios, Ruffy, Hadjidemetriou, Franck, Kelchtermans,

Rokofyllos, Gotzev, Tummers, Seitlinger, Jaani, Severin, Vajda

1 ¹ 1. This text only represents the views of the individual members who have signed it. It does not reflect a position adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly.