Delegate: Nived Anilkumar
Committee: United Nations Human Rights Committee
Country: Greece
Agenda: Mitigating Police Brutality
Police brutality is a danger that threatens the lives of many civilians. This matter should be
investigated due to millions of lives taken due to the extreme police force. If not discussed by
global organizations, this problem poses a threat to the world which shall lead to disruption of
multiple laws passed by various human rights bodies.
Globally, many cases of police brutality have still not been solved. However, following the
George Floyd case, the UN moved against police violence. On June 19, 2020, the council the
47-member council unanimously passed a resolution mandating that the UN High
Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, together with UN experts prepare a
global report on systemic racism and excessive use of force against people of African descent
by law enforcement. This also caused other countries to adopt policies against police
brutality.
Greece is a country, that has faced many issues with the Committee of Human Rights. Greece
acknowledges the allegations of multiple cases of brutality and has further launched
investigations. It is trying its best to implement measures that will improve this situation. The
Greece police department reported 232 uses of force between January 2012 and May 2015,
which is a significant decline in the numbers from the riots in 2008. The Helenian police
force decided to implement an internal affairs unit specializing in receiving and handling
police complaints. New body cameras have also been installed for a more transparent view of
each police officer’s actions. Greece, also put into effect Law 2713/1999. This establishes the
Greek Ombudsman, which is an independent authority that investigates complaints against
public administration, which includes police misconduct. Another law established is Law
3938/2011: Which establishes the Office of Internal Affairs within the Hellenic Police,
responsible for investigating allegations of police misconduct.
Greece can also adopt more solutions like imposing strict penalties like fines and jail
sentences as police brutality goes against human rights. Another solution could be teaching
all police officers rights when they join the importance of human rights and why not to show
the use of force if not needed.
Bibliography:
UN Condemns Systemic Racism, Police Violence :
https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/07/20/un-condemns-systemic-racism-police-
violence-0
Hellenic Police: https://www.astynomia.gr/hellenic-police/?lang=en
The Greek Ombudsman: https://www.gov.gr/en/upourgeia/oloi-foreis/sunegoros-tou-
polite
Strategic and Operational Program of the Hellenic Police (S.E.P.E.A.):
https://mitos.gov.gr/index.php/%CE%94%CE%94:%CE%A3%CF%84%CF
%81%CE%B1%CF%84%CE%B7%CE%B3%CE%B9%CE%BA%CF%8C_%CE
%BA%CE%B1%CE%B9_%CE%95%CF%80%CE%B9%CF%87%CE%B5%CE
%B9%CF%81%CE%B7%CF%83%CE%B9%CE%B1%CE%BA%CF%8C_%CE
%A0%CF%81%CF%8C%CE%B3%CF%81%CE%B1%CE%BC%CE%BC%CE
%B1_%CF%84%CE%B7%CF%82_%CE%95%CE%BB%CE%BB%CE%B7%CE
%BD%CE%B9%CE%BA%CE%AE%CF%82_%CE%91%CF%83%CF%84%CF
%85%CE%BD%CE%BF%CE%BC%CE%AF%CE%B1%CF%82_(%CE%A3.%CE
%95.%CE%A0.%CE%95.%CE%91
