Government Response
The recommendation has been implemented, where legal experts provided advice for the implementation of the recommendation to establish:
(A) An independent office to receive complaints and grievances outside the Ministry of the Interior, to oversee and conduct investigations in the worst allegations against the police, and the important issues that affect people's confidence in the police.
(B) A new department for internal affairs at the Interior Ministry that will be responsible for the revision of the internal initial disciplinary orders.
A decree was issued on the establishment of an independent office of Secretary General of Grievances at the Interior Ministry, and a department for internal affairs on February 28. This decree was based on the British model and was drafted by the legal experts in consultation with Mr. John Yeats and Mr. John Timoney.
With regard to point (b), the Minister of Interior, on January 30, 2012, issued the police code of conduct which has been formulated in consultation with Mr. John Timoney as well as legal and security experts.
The code of conduct is based on a number of international rules, including the norms of conduct of the employees who are charged with law enforcement at the United Nations, and norms of conduct of the security work in the countries of the European Union.
The norms of work conduct adopt the principles that are based on the approach of determining the duties of police personnel in various aspects of their work, including the use of force, respect for human dignity and upholding the rule of law, as stated in the introduction: (The code of conduct forms a new social agreement between police and members of Bahraini society).
Also, the Interior Ministry issued a detailed handbook that presents the duties of security personnel and the procedures that must be adhered to when arresting the accused. This handbook will be distributed to all security personnel, and will be incorporated in the training programme for security personnel.
A training programme was launched in the area of human rights and law procedures for new security personnel. The security personnel who are in the force will be trained in similar programmes that are derived from the handbook and the code of conduct. Currently, a program on sensitivity is being developed by Mr. John Yeats and Mr. John Timoney.
The lessons that are inspired by the independent office of the Secretary General of Grievances will be included in training programmes; and this is mentioned in the articles of the decision.
This recommendation will get technical assistance from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, which is concerned with criminal justice in the UN. The drawing up of an agreement with the Office to provide such assitance is in its final stages.
National Commission