From 31 March to 8 April 2012 NGOs will be carrying out the first stage on ongoing nationwide monitoring under the title “Police under Scrutiny”. This time volunteers will be checking whether police patrols and police stations in all regions of Ukraine are conducting their work in conscientious and lawful manner.

This follows a similar campaign last November with that campaign’s successes and failings being taken into account for the new action. The campaign is being run by the Association of Ukrainian Association of Human Rights Monitors on Law Enforcement, with its members having prepared the guidelines for public monitoring, as well as carried out training sessions for NGO activists and journalists. Several hundred activists from around the country have joined the campaign and that number is constantly increasing. 

The monitoring information will be gathered and processed and will result in recommendations to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Government. The recommendations will focus both on improving cooperation between the law enforcement bodies and member s of the public, and on increasing the level of observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms. 

The choice of patrol units and local police stations is because it is these that ordinary citizens usually encounter, and where most infringements occur. Last year’s monitoring uncovered a number of infringements which were listed in the Association’s report and sent with recommendations to the MIA.  Most stations, for example, do not have ramps for the disabled, complaint books, stands with information.  This year’s monitoring will therefore also check whether the recommendations have been adhered to.  The monitoring is planned as the first step in ensuring such measures on an ongoing basis. 

The Association is also running a competition for photographs, videos and publicist material regarding police infringements.