The renewed call was made to PNG’s Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Abal while the group commended PNG on its recent accession to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
In a letter to Abal, the group highlighted its reports of 2004 and 2005 on regular police torture, rape, and use excessive force against children; police commonly committing acts of sexual violence, including against female sex workers, and men and boys suspected of homosexual conduct; police harassing persons found carrying condoms, which undermines efforts to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS; police routinely detaining children with adults in police lock-ups; and police rarely being punished for these acts.
Human Rights Watch spokeswoman Zama Coursen-Neff stressed the importance for both short and long-term measure to be put in place to address this gross abuse of powers by police officers.
Coursen-Neff said accession to international conventions was an important step toward guaranteeing respect for fundamental human rights in PNG, and called on Internal Security Minister Sani Rambi and Police Commissioner Gari Baki to charge, administratively and criminally, any member of the police force who used excessive force in carrying out their responsibilities.
Coursen-Neff said not only did the actions of members of the police violate PNG laws and regulations, they also breached international standards, including ICCPR.
“Article 7 of the ICCPR prohibits the use of torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment. Article 10 of the ICCPR require that all detainees be “treated with humanity and with respect for the inherent dignity of the human person,” she said in the letter to Abal.
“Article 10 further mandates that both accused and convicted children be separated from adults and that child offenders be accorded treatment appropriate to their age and legal status,” she added.
