Summary
In recent years, Central Asia and the South Caucasus have seen a number of
trends in the development, transfer and use of law-enforcement equipment,
increasing the range of devices available to law-enforcement and security
personnel. This has been partly spearheaded by changing international
partners (China, Russia and the United States), but it has also been influenced
by the emergence of local sources of production, the acceptance that police
and security personnel require the means for employing a graduated use of
force, and the desire for reform.
However, the increased availability and deployment of equipment has
implications for both these regions, as they have struggled with cases of
torture and ill treatment and the curtailment of fundamental rights. Such
devices bring with them an inherent risk that police and security forces could
wield excessive force, commit abuses and reinforce authoritarian practices.
Almost any device could be used for torture or ill treatment and, as such, the
design, development, transfer and deployment of law-enforcement
technologies—whose design characteristics are easily placed at odds with
basic human rights and fundamental freedoms—require careful scrutiny.
Given these human rights concerns, there is also a need to scrutinize the
legislative frameworks in place and a need for exporting states to make
effective use of trade control systems.
As well as highlighting some of the key emerging issues centred on the
development, deployment and use of law-enforcement equipment this report
seeks to provide some concrete recommendations in relation to the
development of use of force standards and controls on the trade in lawenforcement equipment.