According to reports, Ms. Koukouliatra was verbally abused by police officers with sexist comments, and when she confronted them she claims that she was grabbed, threatened with arrest and pulled inside the construction site and beaten.
Terrified, she managed to escape and flee the scene, where she alleges a crowd of witnesses had gathered outside, having heard her screams for help (see more on the incident in 1, 2).
In a state governed by the rule of law, the police authorities must be governed by certain principles, including the principle of legality, the principle of proportionality, the prohibition of the abuse of police power and the respect for and protection of human rights.
The powers of the police authorities and the conduct to be displayed by them in the performance of their duties are regulated, inter alia, by Decree 141/1991 and Decree 254/2004.
Although the police may use force to enforce the law, this does not mean that all use of preventive or repressive force by the police is lawful. On the contrary, the arbitrary use of the power to use force and police action in excess of legal limits is a dangerous phenomenon for a democracy.
The alleged conduct of the police forces against Ms Koucouliatra appears, however, to be outside the legal limits of police action.
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