No tolerance for torture — police chief

AMMAN — Police Director Maj. Gen. Atef Saudi on Tuesday said his department looks to further collaboration with civil society to ensure the application of the highest standards of human rights in the community and to fight extremism. 

"The Public Security Department [PSD] and civil society share the same responsibility — to ensure human rights for our citizens and to work hand in hand to fight extremism and radical ideologies," Saudi said.

This, the police chief added, will further strengthen "the sense of security and stability among the public".

Saudi made the remarks during a meeting at the PSD that gathered 150 representatives from civil society and human rights institutions.

"We at the PSD work hard to safeguard human dignity and the rights of our citizens and any individual living in the Kingdom," he said.

The police chief listed several measures adopted by his department to further ensure safety, security and human rights for individuals.

“We have enrolled many of our officers in human rights courses to ensure that they respect and understand its principles and apply them in their daily routine to ensure justice for all,” Saudi said.

The PSD director said he took the initiative to visit police stations to “make sure they are adopting the highest standards in dealing with citizens”.

“I disguised myself and went to police stations to see how they deal with people and I was satisfied with what I saw,” Saudi said, adding that he has designated a prize to be given to the best police station in treating detainees and the general public.

The police chief related the story after a participant in the meeting claimed that several people detained at police stations were abused.

“Abuse and torture at our stations is not part of our strategy and anyone found guilty of such conduct will be punished severely. We have already imprisoned several police officers who were found guilty of abuse,” Saudi said.

During the meeting, the police chief also announced the establishment of a press centre at the PSD to be in direct contact with the media “in case of unusual events that — God forbid — could happen in the Kingdom”.

Saudi was responding to a complaint from Nidal Mansour, president of the Centre for Defending Freedom of Journalists, who claimed that journalists are “the first to be targeted by police at sit-ins or public rallies”.

“We will be in constant contact with journalists at this centre and we will provide them with the necessary logistics to work and sleep over if they have to,” the PSD director said.

In response to a comment on overcrowded prisons by Jordanian Society for Human Rights Director Suleiman Sweiss, Saudi said he had issued orders to renovate and expand detention centres.

“I have issued orders to renovate several rehabilitation centres and a budget of JD1 million was allocated for this purpose. In 60 days you will witness the improvements.”

Basil Tarawneh, the government’s coordinator on human rights, who organised the two-hour meeting in cooperation with the PSD, assured the gathering that his office will follow up on all the comments and complaints.

“We admit that there are gaps or misconduct committed by a handful of individuals at the PSD,” Tarawneh said.

But what is more important, he added, “is finding the proper solutions to address these issues and ensure that they never happen again”.