-4- On the occasion of the Day of celebration of Human Rights (10nth of December), a circular was issued by the Chief of Greek Police bearing the title “The protection of human rights in the course of police action” (7100/1/5, dated 10 December 2005). The aforecited circular was communicated to the entirety of Law Enforcement officers, so that they be acquainted and familiarized with the new strategy adopted by the Corps for the protection of human rights during police action aimed at a Greek Police that would be modern, effective, humane and close to the citizen and which would constitute the depositary and trustee of a society of cohesion, solidarity, participation and justice. 3. Monitoring – disciplinary investigation of complaints lodged against police officers The requisite administrative actions were taken for the investigation, from a disciplinary point of view, of cases that concerned complaints of abuse-ill-treatment of Greek and foreign (detainees or not) individuals and the use of firearms by police officers, with a view to the definitive stamping out of such phenomena. Guidelines were given for the display of zero tolerance in cases of ascertainment of such abuses. More analytically: a. With a view to enhancing the impartiality of administrative examinations and to achieving a more objective administration of disciplinary justice, in connection with cases concerning complaints for the infliction of torture, of any bodily injury or harm of health, exercise of psychological violence and any other act or behavior that constitutes grave affront to human dignity in the execution of service or out of it, in accordance with the provisions of articles 11 and 15 of Legislative Decree 3/2004 which amended the provisions of articles 23 para 1 and 27 para 2 of LD 22/1996; - The initiation of disciplinary proceedings against the police officer liable for committing the abuse, through the issuance of an order for the carrying out of a Sworn Administrative Examination (E.D.E.), falls within the exclusive competence of the service echelons that are superior to the Police Directorate to which the officer under investigation is administratively subjected. - The administrative enquiry (administrative interrogation) is obligatorily entrusted to an officer belonging to another Police Directorate than the one to which the complained of officer organically belongs. b. By circular No 7100/14/2-b’, dated 6 July 2005, issued by the Chief of the Greek Police, there was dispatched to all the services and communicated to all Police staff, with a view to raising their social sensitization in regard to the protection of human rights in the course of police activity, the judgment by the European Court of Human Rights, dated 20 December 2004, that was rendered on application lodged by MAKARATZIS Christos versus Greece (application No 50385/1999), whereby our country was sentenced for violating article 2 of the European Convention on the protection of Human Rights (LD 53/1974, A-256) which guarantees protection of the right to life.