From now on, the police have the right to introduce visitation zones in order to prevent deadly gang violence. In the zone, which applies for a maximum of two weeks, the police are given the right to body search adults and children, and to search vehicles, without criminal suspicion.
A person who is stopped and checked by the police, and who himself feels that it is done based on, for example, skin color, cannot report the matter according to the Discrimination Act.
– In practice, this means that it is almost impossible to get compensation if you have been subjected to a discriminatory police check, says Aida Samani, senior lawyer at Civil Rights Defenders.
That police actions against individuals not covered by the Discrimination Act also means that the Discrimination Ombudsman (DO) cannot supervise the authority.
The DO has also stated that the police should be covered by the prohibition against discrimination. The government is preparing an inquiry that submitted proposals on this.
– We want to see a law in place as soon as possible, says Aida Samani, who also calls for a task for the police to prevent discriminatory ethnic profiling.
– As it stands today, police officers lack guidance and training on how to think when selecting an individual for control. This means that police officers are left to make their own judgments and it is easy to follow stereotypes, which increases the risk of arbitrariness.
Read more:
Hope and concern as the law on safety zones comes into force
The police on safety zones: “We will not always do the right thing”
Voters clearly say yes to visitation zones
Tags: Visitation zones Requires legislative change combat discrimination
