PDM Calls for an Independent Inquiry Into Police Conduct During Protests
The Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) is calling for an independent, transparent inquiry into police conduct during public protests. The demand reflects the party’s commitment to democratic accountability, constitutional rights, and the principle that public institutions must remain answerable to the people they serve.
Protests are a legitimate form of civic participation in a democracy. Namibians have the right to assemble peacefully, express grievances, organise collectively, and draw attention to issues affecting their communities. These freedoms must be protected even when demonstrations are politically sensitive, disruptive, or critical of government policy.
An inquiry would not prejudge individual officers or dismiss the difficult responsibilities involved in maintaining public safety. Its purpose would be to establish the facts, identify any misconduct, examine operational decisions, and recommend reforms that protect both communities and law-enforcement personnel.
Why Independent Scrutiny Matters
Public order policing involves a delicate balance. The police have a duty to prevent violence, protect people and property, and respond to genuine threats. At the same time, officers must act lawfully, proportionately, and with respect for human dignity. When force is used during a protest, the public deserves a clear account of why it was necessary and whether less harmful measures were available.
An internal review may be useful, but it cannot always provide the level of public confidence required when the allegations concern the conduct of the police themselves. An independent investigation can reduce concerns about institutional bias and create space for witnesses, journalists, organisers, medical workers, and affected residents to present evidence without intimidation.
Such scrutiny is especially important where there are allegations of arbitrary arrests, excessive force, intimidation, unlawful searches, restrictions on movement, damage to property, or interference with the media. Even where some allegations are not substantiated, a credible inquiry can correct misinformation and distinguish legitimate policing from conduct that falls outside the law.
The process must also recognise that accountability protects officers. A properly documented inquiry can establish when police acted professionally under pressure, identify weaknesses in command structures, and ensure that responsibility is assigned fairly rather than collectively.
What The Inquiry Should Examine
The proposed inquiry should establish a complete chronology of the events under review. This should include the planning and authorisation of the operation, communication between commanders and officers, instructions issued before and during the protest, and the decisions that led to arrests or the use of force.
Evidence should be gathered from multiple sources. Statements from protesters, bystanders, community leaders, police officers, legal representatives, journalists, and medical personnel should be considered alongside body-camera footage, video recordings, radio communications, arrest registers, hospital records, and other relevant documents.
The inquiry should ask whether police warnings were clear, whether organisers were given an opportunity to address concerns, and whether negotiation was attempted before force was deployed. It should examine whether officers identified themselves, whether crowd-control equipment was used according to policy, and whether any weapons or other methods were proportionate to the threat faced.
Individual accountability must be balanced with examination of the chain of command. Misconduct may result from an officer’s decision, but it may also reflect unclear orders, inadequate training, poor supervision, weak deployment planning, or failures to separate peaceful demonstrators from individuals committing offences. A meaningful investigation must assess all of these factors.
Protecting Constitutional Rights
Freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of expression are central to democratic life. They allow citizens to challenge public decisions, demand services, support labour rights, raise concerns about inequality, and call for political change. These rights should not depend on whether the message is popular or whether it is directed at those in power.
Restrictions on a protest must have a lawful basis and should be necessary and proportionate. Authorities should distinguish between peaceful participants and people who commit violence or damage property. Treating an entire gathering as unlawful because of the actions of a few can result in collective punishment and undermine confidence in law enforcement.
The treatment of journalists and legal observers also deserves specific attention. Reporters covering demonstrations perform a public role by documenting events and informing society. Allegations involving threats, assault, obstruction, confiscation of equipment, or unjustified detention require careful investigation. PDM has previously raised concerns about protection of journalists, reflecting the wider need to defend media freedom and public access to reliable information.
The rights of arrested people must be respected throughout the process. They should be informed of the reasons for their arrest, have access to legal assistance, receive appropriate medical care, and be brought before a competent court within the required period. Any evidence obtained through unlawful treatment should be subject to proper legal scrutiny.
A Transparent Process With Public Confidence
Independence must be visible as well as real. The body conducting the inquiry should have no direct interest in defending the conduct under examination. Its members should be selected for professional competence, impartiality, and experience in law, human rights, policing, public administration, or evidence-based investigations.
The terms of reference should be published at the beginning of the process. They should identify the incidents covered, the legal and operational standards to be considered, the powers available to investigators, and the time frame for reporting. The public should know how people can submit evidence and how vulnerable witnesses will be protected.
An effective inquiry should publish its findings in accessible language, subject only to narrow and justified redactions. Confidentiality may be necessary for personal safety or ongoing prosecutions, but secrecy should not become a substitute for accountability. The final report should state which allegations were substantiated, which were not, and what evidence supports each conclusion.
| Area of review | Questions for investigators | Public safeguard |
|---|---|---|
| Planning and command | Who authorised the operation, and what instructions were issued? | Published operational standards and clear command responsibility |
| Use of force | Was force necessary, lawful, and proportionate to the threat? | Independent review of injuries, equipment, video, and officer reports |
| Arrests and detention | Were arrests based on reasonable grounds and handled lawfully? | Access to lawyers, medical care, and prompt judicial oversight |
| Treatment of media | Were journalists or observers obstructed, threatened, or harmed? | Protected media access and investigation of alleged interference |
| Complaints and remedies | Could affected people report misconduct safely and receive redress? | Accessible complaints channels, witness protection, and compensation where appropriate |
| Reform and training | What institutional weaknesses contributed to the incidents? | Public implementation plan with deadlines and monitoring |
Transparency should continue after the report is released. Government, the police leadership, Parliament, and relevant oversight bodies should explain how recommendations will be implemented. A report that remains on a shelf cannot restore trust or prevent recurrence.
Justice Must Reach Marginalised Communities
The consequences of aggressive or unlawful policing are often felt most severely by people with limited access to legal representation, transport, money, or political influence. Young people, informal workers, residents of underserved communities, persons with disabilities, and families unfamiliar with the justice system may struggle to challenge misconduct or recover from an arrest.
For this reason, the inquiry should provide accessible channels for submissions beyond formal legal procedures. Community hearings, mobile evidence-collection teams, interpreters, disability-accessible facilities, and clear information in commonly used languages can help ensure that participation is not limited to people with professional support.
The wider justice system must also be responsive after the investigation ends. People who suffered unlawful detention, injury, loss of income, or property damage should be able to pursue remedies without facing retaliation or excessive costs. PDM’s work on access to justice reflects the importance of ensuring that legal protection is meaningful for marginalised groups.
Accountability should therefore include more than disciplinary action. Where appropriate, remedies may include compensation, restoration of damaged property, correction of official records, withdrawal of improperly pursued charges, counselling, and formal acknowledgement of harm. These measures can help repair relationships between communities and public institutions.
Steps Toward Responsible Policing
An independent inquiry should lead to practical changes rather than a temporary public response. PDM supports reforms that strengthen public safety while preserving the rights that define a constitutional democracy.
Priority measures should include:
- Establishing an independent civilian complaints mechanism with authority to investigate serious allegations against police officers.
- Requiring clear rules for protest policing, including de-escalation, negotiation, identification of officers, and proportional use of force.
- Improving training on constitutional rights, crowd management, first aid, arrest procedures, and engagement with journalists.
- Preserving body-camera footage, radio records, arrest data, and other evidence through enforceable retention policies.
- Publishing regular reports on complaints, disciplinary outcomes, use-of-force incidents, and implementation of oversight recommendations.
Parliament and civil society should be able to monitor progress against measurable deadlines. Oversight is most effective when it is continuous, adequately funded, and supported by reliable public information. Police officers should also have safe channels to report unlawful instructions, inadequate equipment, or abusive conduct by colleagues and superiors.
A rights-based approach does not weaken policing. It makes policing more professional by replacing uncertainty and impunity with clear standards. Officers who know that decisions will be reviewed fairly are better placed to act confidently, while communities are more likely to cooperate with investigations and public-safety efforts.
Restoring Trust Through Accountability
The call for an independent inquiry is part of a broader demand for democratic governance in Namibia. Public institutions draw their legitimacy from the law, but they retain public trust through openness, fairness, and responsible conduct. When that trust is damaged, government must respond with facts and corrective action rather than silence or dismissal.
PDM urges all relevant authorities to protect evidence, safeguard witnesses, cooperate with independent investigators, and ensure that no person is punished for making a good-faith complaint. The public should be able to follow the process, understand its findings, and see concrete reforms that address any failures identified.
Citizens, community organisations, legal professionals, journalists, and elected representatives all have a role in defending peaceful civic participation. By documenting incidents responsibly, supporting affected communities, and insisting on lawful policing, Namibians can help strengthen democratic institutions.
PDM will continue to advocate for an inquiry that is independent, accessible, and capable of producing meaningful remedies. Support this call by engaging with public representatives, sharing verified information, attending lawful civic forums, and standing for a Namibia in which accountability and human rights apply to everyone.