Moldova: centralised register for police complaints
All complaints against police officers, involving any kind of misconduct, received by the Ministry of Internal Affairs
are centrally registered by the Department of Information and then submitted to the relevant unit for action. All
documented physical injuries of arrested persons are reported to the prosecution, and representatives of the
Internal Investigation and Security Department conduct an initial examination into complaints of physical abuse
to establish a prima facie case.
Tanzania: a computerised case management system
The Tanzanian national human rights institution, the Commission for Human Rights and Good Governance
(CHRAGG), is mandated to receive complaints and has installed a computerised case management system in order
to expedite the complaints handling process. Under this system the complaint documents and other records are to
be stored in a database which can be reviewed by authorised staff in order to check the status of a complaint and
to take appropriate action.
Considerations for persons in situations of particular vulnerability
Torture and ill-treatment can occur in a range of settings and many States have put in place complaints procedures
that take into account the special needs and circumstances of particular categories of victims such as children;
persons with a disability; elderly people; persons who have been subjected to sexual or gender-based violence;
and foreign nationals, including victims of trafficking.
Australia: facilitating complaints about mental health services
The Mental Health Complaints Commissioner in the state of Victoria is an independent, specialist body
established under the Mental Health Act 2014 to safeguard the rights of persons with mental health issues and to
resolve complaints about public mental health services in that state, including complaints regarding ill-treatment
or torture. Persons wishing to make a complaint can contact the Commissioner through different means including
by phone on a toll free number or by email. Interpreters are available free of charge and for people who are deaf or
have hearing or speech support needs there is a National Relay Service which enables people to conduct real-time
conversations through different channels of communication. The Commissioner also has a model complaint form
on their website to complete online or download.
Hungary: assistance for the elderly, and others, to access complaints systems
In 2000, Hungary launched a patient advocacy system to ensure that residents within care homes for the elderly,
as well as patients in hospitals and psychiatric institutions, are aware of their rights and could access complaints
mechanisms. ‘Patient Advocates’ are lay people who receive training to conduct visits to care homes, hospitals
and psychiatric institutions to meet with the residents, inform them of their rights and explore any complaints
and concerns they may have. They can help individuals to make official complaints when necessary and provide
support to them throughout the complaints process.
TOOL: Complaints and investigations
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