POLICE WITH THE PEOPLE!

The head of the regional department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Major General of the militia Valeriy Nonik, in particular, said: “Ensuring human rights is the most important generally accepted priority of a democratic society, and at the same time – one of the main tasks of law enforcement agencies. The activities of the internal affairs bodies occupy a special place in the system of legal guarantees, through which the realization of the rights and freedoms of citizens in the state is ensured. A citizen interacts with the state mainly through law, laws, other regulatory documents that directly determine the legal status, place and role in society of each person.

In November last year, the Public Council for the Protection of Human Rights was established under the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine in the Chernihiv region in order to assist the internal affairs bodies of the region in ensuring human rights, strengthening the rule of law, increasing the legal culture among employees of bodies and units, their understanding of the need to observe human rights, increasing the legal culture and awareness of the population of the region.”

The chief police officer of the region made an excursion into the history of the creation of an advisory and consultative body under the regional Department (Public Council for the Protection of Human Rights), aimed at creating a system of public control over the activities of internal affairs bodies in the field of protecting fundamental rights and human freedoms, aimed at maximum observance of public rights and preventing violations of the law by

employees of the Chernihiv police.

General Nonik emphasized that the purpose of the Public Council is to become a connecting link between the Department of Internal Affairs

and the public, the population in order to form a positive public opinion about the work of our police, increase the authority of employees of the internal affairs bodies and the prestige of the service in general.

For almost a year, members of the Public Council under the Department of Internal Affairs of Ukraine in the Chernihiv region have initiated joint work in such areas as: protecting the rights of citizens during detention and conducting pre-trial investigations; preventing domestic violence and human trafficking; the rights of minors; protecting the rights of employees of the internal affairs bodies.

For the openness and transparency of the work of the police, the management of the Department initiated joint receptions of citizens in public reception rooms, and independent monitoring of the conditions of detention and observance of the rights of persons detained in the ITT is constantly carried out. The introduced mechanism of joint inspections of temporary detention facilities has proven the effectiveness of this form of civil control and contributed to the improvement of detention conditions.

Summing up his speech, the head of the UMVD Valeriy Nonik noted that at the first steps of work, problems are identified in the activities of internal affairs bodies that directly relate to human rights, and therefore require us to come closer, coordinate the positions of the police and human rights NGOs, and understand the need for joint work.

He assured the members of the Council that for the internal affairs bodies of the Chernihiv

region, the problems of human rights observance remain a priority, and cooperation between the internal affairs bodies and public human rights organizations will develop in the system of constant dialogue.

Valeriy Viktorovych Nonik was pleased to fulfill a pleasant mission – he presented the members of the Council with official certificates.

Among them:

coordinator of public actions, Co-chair of the Public Council – LEPEKHA Ala Grigorivna;

secretary of the public – TARASOV Viktor Volodomyrovych;

curator of Chernihiv region, member of the Public Council of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine CHEMERYS Volodymyr Volodymyrovych;

members of the Public Council:

VODOLAHIN Serhiy Mykolayovtich;

DOROZHKINA Iryna Vasylivna;

EDIEV Tukhan Alikhanovich;

PETROVA Tamara Ivanivna;

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From the rostrum of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the coordinator of public actions, Co-chair of the Public Council Alla Lepekha, focused on preventing the unlawful use of weapons and special means by internal affairs bodies when ensuring the rights and freedoms of citizens, and preventing human rights violations.

She emphasized that it is very important that the means are used by police officers in a balanced and legal manner.

Ms. Lepekha noted the positive impact of the work of mobile groups – as one of the elements of the national mechanism for preventing torture and ill-treatment of citizens and violations of their rights and freedoms. The members of the GR decided to consider the work of mobile groups as one of the main areas of work of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine in the Chernihiv region to create preventive mechanisms in accordance with the requirements of the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, ratified in July 2006.

All meetings of the GR are covered in the media, and decisions, work plans, and results of the work of mobile groups are posted on the website of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine.

Alla Grigorivna said in particular: “Although the decisions of the General Assembly are of a recommendatory nature, we still hope that the activities of our General Assembly will contribute to the observance of the rights and freedoms of the citizens of our region.

And much will depend on our joint interest and work in these areas with you.”

On the same day, the head of the Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine in the Chernihiv region, Valery Nonik, together with members of the Public Council, held a joint reception of citizens.

Central Police Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine in Chernihiv Oblast