On December 22, 2017, special police control was launched across Georgia. The Public Defender considers it important citizens to have information about their rights during the mentioned police action.

Special police control is one of the measures envisaged by the Law on Police, which aims at preventing and/or detecting violations. According to a minister's decree, police officers are authorized to inspect citizens, vehicles or other items only visually on relevant territory and at relevant time.

Within the framework of police control, citizens have the right to:

• request a police officer to show official and identity documents;
• request a police officer to explain the reason for carrying out the mentioned police action;
• request a policeman to turn on a body camera when communicating with him/her;
• get acquainted with the protocol drawn up by a police officer (if any).

It is especially important citizens to know that during police inspection, police officers are only authorized to check a person by touching the surface of his/her clothes by hand or special device. Police officers are allowed to put their hands in citizens’ pockets or overturn them, or request citizens to take off their clothes only in exceptional cases. Similarly, items or cars (including trunks) can be checked only visually.

The Public Defender reminds citizens that they can apply to the General Inspection Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs or the Public Defender's Office through hotlines 126 and 1481 respectively in case of violation of the abovementioned rights or any other problem in communication with police officers.

The Public Defender hopes that citizens’ legal rights will not be restricted during the implementation of special police control or any other police action.