As the police officers visited tens (possibly hundreds) of civic activists’ houses yesterday, the “Union of Informed Citizens considers it necessary to inform citizens about their following rights:
1. The citizen has the right not to allow the policeman to enter his/her house if the policeman does not show a respective court decision (e.g. a search warrant).
2. The citizen has the right to photograph or videotape any activity of the police and upload it to the internet. The citizen has the right to photograph or videotape the policeman who is detaining him/her during the whole way to the police station.
3. When addressing the citizen, the policeman must introduce himself (mention his/her name, surname, title and position and in case of the citizen’s request, he/she should also show his/her certificate (even if he/she is wearing a uniform).
4. The citizen is not obliged to go to the police station by the policeman’s invitation. Such an obligation emerges only when the policeman detains or arrests the citizen, or when a written notice has been given to the citizen.
5. The citizen is not obliged to believe the oral speech of the police officer.
6. The citizen (if he/she is not driving a car) is not obliged to introduce himself/herself to the policeman or show his/her passport.
7. The policeman must immediately inform the citizen about the reasons and legal bases for stopping, visiting or addressing him/her, and in case of taking the citizen to the police station, also about the citizen’s status and the rights.
8. The citizen that has been taken to the police station has the right to inform his/her relatives or friends about his/her location and say absolutely nothing before the lawyer arrives.
9. The policeman does not have the right to threaten, insult and torture the citizen. The psychological pressure on the citizens is strictly prohibited.
10. The policeman does not have the right to ask the citizen not to use his/her rights.
“Union of Informed Citizens”
