Sunday, 23 October 2011
Egyptian Interior Minister Marawan Mustafa reveals details about a new police charter that lists officers responsibilities during the line of duty.(File photo)
General Marawan Mustafa, head of the Media and Public Relations Division at the Interior Ministry and the ministry’s spokesperson, issued a statement that a document that he described as a “social contract” between the Egyptian police and the people will be issued soon.
“The idea came to the ministry after realizing that police in developed countries has a charter that regulates their behavior and lists ethical code they are required to follow,” he said in a press conference held at the ministry on Saturday.
Mustafa added that changing the methodology of the police was necessary after people expressed the indignation at the way the police treated citizens and committed violations while on the job during the revolution in January.
Mustafa explained that the charter will be printed and distributed among citizens and police stations in order to make sure its articles are accurately implemented.
“Everything the Interior Ministry has been doing lately is to reassure the people on the police’s new role. This is what is going to bring security back to the Egyptian street, the harmony between the police and the people,” he concluded.
The new charter addresses the main concerns Egyptians have had about the police in the past.
For example, the charter prohibits police officers from getting involved in any action that might harm the democratic environment in the country, using work connections to achieve personal goals and accepting money or gifts in return for favors.
The charter also warns police officers of mistreating citizens or persecuting them based on religion, race, or political affiliation and urges them to stick to civilized interaction with all residents of Egypt ─ whether Egyptians or foreigners ─ and to respect the cultural specificities of all groups.
The charter also sets strict rules for dealing with criminals or suspects during the interrogation process and instructs policemen to abide by the legal and constitutional norms and protect human rights in both cases.
Police officers are also required by the charter to dedicate all their working hours to the safety of Egypt and its people and to cooperate with their colleagues in doing so. They have also been entrusted with the task of ensuring the safety of civilians present at the scene of a crime or a clampdown on outlaws.
Part of the charter is dedicated to the rights of policemen like making available the most technologically advanced means that help them do their work in the best way possible and giving them the proper training that enhances their skills and motivates them to make the security of the country their top priority.
The charter also promises providing the proper care for families of policemen killed on the job as well as giving injured policemen the necessary financial and moral support.
(This article was translated from Arabic by Sonia Farid.)
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