Deputy Ombudsman Saša Rajić participated in the meeting of the Network of Independent Oversight Bodies for Complaints against the Police (IPCAN), held on 8 November 2024 in Paris, organized by the French Ombudsman institution.
The event opened with a roundtable discussion and presentations of national institutions’ activities in this area. Deputy Rajić highlighted the issue of irregular migration as a challenge for the entire European Union, particularly considering that the Republic of Croatia is a country located at the EU’s external border. He also pointed to Croatia’s demonstrated readiness to implement the new Entry/Exit System (EES) for entering the EU.
The first session of the continuation of the event focused on police conduct towards persons with disabilities. Deputy Rajić presented several cases in which the Ombudswoman was involved, explaining the institution’s procedures and the recommendations issued to the competent authorities.
The second session, dedicated to the use of new technologies in police procedures during mass public events, was opened and moderated by Deputy Rajić. On that occasion, he emphasized the many challenges that new technologies, especially those based on artificial intelligence, pose to the protection of human rights.
He particularly underlined that the recently adopted Artificial Intelligence Act represents a positive step toward the protection of rights guaranteed by the Charter of Fundamental Rights. However, he warned about the exceptions in the areas of policing and migration, which may reduce the level of human rights protection in favor of strengthening national security. Deputy Rajić stressed the importance of continuous education on the legislative framework and the exchange of experiences among institutions.
Participants also discussed the use of body-worn cameras by police officers, which is standard practice in most EU member states. Although this project was temporarily suspended in Croatia, its reimplementation has been announced, which aligns with the recommendation of the Ombudswoman. The use of cameras during police interventions would facilitate the establishment of facts in cases of citizens’ complaints and contribute to the prevention of police misconduct.
The use of biometric data was highlighted as another challenge for the protection of citizens’ rights. While the legal frameworks in most member institutions of the Network have limited the use of such data, they may still be used, for example, in criminal proceedings, with facial recognition technology being particularly challenging.
At the end of the meeting, the adoption of a Resolution was proposed, calling on the Network to strengthen the protection of the rights of persons with disabilities during police procedures. The Resolution includes recommendations for the training of police officers, strict regulation of the use of coercive measures against persons with disabilities, and the improvement of conditions for their stay in detention.