Thread by @GuerrillaRepor1

Six months ago, millions witnessed the Amsterdam police dog incident on Twitter. One of them being @NilsMelzer, at that time special rapporteur on torture for the UN. What were his findings? How did the government respond? Here’s an update. (1/19)

https://twitter.com/i/status/1477624939113029634

On 29 March, #Melzer sent the Dutch authorities a letter in which he used the word ‘concern’ 13 times. It already had been announced that Melzer would leave the UN 31 March. The letter was made public on 30 May. We’ll take a look. (2/19) spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/…

In January 2021, a high-pressure jet from a water cannon hit a woman, causing severe injury. The Investigation Department (part of Public Prosecution Service) started an investigation after a criminal complaint. The police did not start any disciplinary investigation. (3/19)

There is compelling video evidence of a violation of the Convention against Torture, Melzer noted. It resulted in potentially life-threatening physical injury. After 14 months the Dutch authorities had not acknowledged any fault. No decision to prosecute had been taken. (4/19)

A water cannon had been used from a dangerously close distance and without warning against someone posing no threat. The police chief and the Use of Force Review Committee of the police found that the force used in this case had been ‘professional’. (5/19)

The internal review procedure of the Dutch Police shows a ‘questionable performance’ for cases such as the dangerous usage of the water cannon, Melzer wrote. This raised his concern that the Amsterdam police dog incident might conclude in an excessively lenient finding. (6/19)

There is compelling video evidence, showing a police service dog inflicting serious bodily injury and severe pain and public humiliation on a non-violent protester, according to Melzer. The dog handler was evidently unable to bring the animal under control. (7/19)

Almost 3 months after the Amsterdam police dog incident, the case was still pending with the internal procedure of the police. Melzer noted ‘with concern’ that ‘this case did not appear to have been transmitted to the Investigation Department of the Public Prosecutor’. (8/19)

An earlier incident involving a police dog had too few consequences according to Melzer. In this case, a defenseless protester, secured on the ground by three police officers, continued to be relentlessly beaten with batons and was gratuitously injured by a service dog. (9/19)

The Public Prosecution Service has pressed criminal charges for disproportionate use of force against the dog handler and one riot police officer. Not proactively, but after 373 applications and 142 lodged criminal complaints. And more than 9 months after this incident. (10/19)

No disciplinary measures such as warnings or temporary suspensions had been taken against the alleged perpetrators. And the means and methods employed by the involved police officers did not seem to have been revised or corrected, Melzer noted. (11/19)

Justice delayed is justice denied, according to Melzer. Any undue delay of criminal investigations, or failure to take provisional disciplinary measures against alleged perpetrators, gives the impression of de facto impunity for police brutality through procrastination. (12/19)

According to the Dutch government, in 2020 there were 27,271 individual incidents involving the use of force. Only 236 (0.86%) were deemed ‘unprofessional’ and 6 (0.022%) made for disciplinary proceedings. No criminal prosecutions appear to have been initiated in 2020. (13/19)

Numbers of criminal or disciplinary proceedings against police officers in The Netherlands are unrealistically low. How, Melzer asked, are the police and the Public Prosecution Service going to enforce compliance with international standards governing the use of force? (14/19)

Melzer urged the Dutch authorities to stop the usage of police dogs and horses in response to unauthorized assemblies and other forms of civil disobedience. In his view, such responses are unnecessary, disproportionate and unlawful. (15/19)

The Dutch government must make sure that all operating police officers are easily identifiable, Melzer suggested. ‘When force is being used by officers in full riot gear, it is completely unrealistic to expect protesters to ask officers to show their police ID.’ (16/19)

On 30 May, a 60 day deadline had ‘passed without any response from the Dutch government’ to the letter on police violence, #Melzer tweeted. He posted a link to the letter and added: ‘My mandate work on the subject is hereby concluded.’ (17/19)

Guerrilla Reporters sent a copy of Melzer’s letter on police violence to the Security Meeting (Dutch: #Veiligheidsberaad), the national cooperation of 25 umbrellas of local organizations charged with security matters, such as the police and the Public Prosecution Service. (18/19)

Guerrilla Reporters invited Hubert #Bruls, chair of the Security Meeting, to a 30 minute uncut video interview on the subject of Melzer’s findings and - after 10 days without response - asked if the Security Meeting wished to respond another way. It declined to comment. (19/19)