I am writing to share serious concerns regarding the use of stun grenades in the policing

of protests and to urge you to take concrete steps to ensure the right to freedom of

peaceful assembly is respected, protected and fulfilled.

Background to Amnesty International concerns about police use of stun grenades

On 4 June, Amnesty International published the report ‘Protests are not battlefields:

Patterns of unlawful use of force by police and impunity in Greece’ [add link, available

after launch]. The report documents a troubling pattern of punitive and repressive

policing practices that appear aimed at deterring or punishing participation in protests

rather than facilitating the exercise of the right to peaceful assembly. Based on a two

year investigation involving interviews with dozens of protesters, journalists, lawyers,

experts and officials, as well as extensive video verification and legal analysis, the

report highlights persistent concerns regarding preventive apprehensions for the

purpose of identity checks and arbitrary deprivation of liberty, unlawful or excessive use

of force, criminalization of peaceful protesters, and a broader culture of impunity for

violations committed by law enforcement during demonstrations.

Particularly alarming are the report’s findings concerning the deployment of stun

grenades in the policing of assemblies. Amnesty International documented repeated

cases in which stun grenades were deployed dangerously and unlawfully by police,

including directly toward protesters and members of the press, above people’s heads,

at individuals’ feet, and into dense crowds without warning. The report further

documents cases of serious injuries suffered by protesters, photojournalists and journalists, including hearing loss, burns, head injuries, and long-term psychological

harm.

Implications of the findings on stun grenades for [pertinent country name]

The findings reinforce preexisting and growing international concerns regarding the

inherently indiscriminate and dangerous nature of stun grenades in crowd-control

settings. Their explosive, disorientating and potentially life-altering effects make them

incompatible with the principles of legality, necessity, proportionality and precaution

that govern the use of force under international human rights law. Amnesty International

therefore concludes that stun grenades should never be used for the policing of public

assemblies and that this recommendation extends beyond Greece to all locations

where stun grenades are in use in the policing of protests and assemblies.

In light of these findings, I respectfully call on you to take action on two specific fronts.

Firstly, I call on you to take steps at the national level to ensure compliance with legal

obligations to respect and protect human rights in [pertinent country name here]

regarding the use of stun grenades and other less lethal weapons in the policing of

demonstrations. In particular, I urge you to:

• Publish information regarding the legal and operational frameworks governing

the use of stun grenades and other less lethal weapons in public order policing;

• Disclose data on the procurement, deployment, injuries, complaints and

investigations related to the use of such military-grade devices during

assemblies;

• Ensure that all operational guidelines on the use of force and less lethal

weapons are publicly accessible and fully aligned with international and regional

human rights standards;

• Review national policing practices to ensure that the management of assemblies

is grounded in de-escalation, facilitation and the protection of human rights;

• Ensure effective, independent and impartial investigations into all allegations of

unlawful use of force during protests.

• If stun grenades are currently being used in the policing of assemblies, take

action to prohibit their use.

Further, at an international level, I also urge you to support and advance efforts toward a

global prohibition on the use of stun grenades in the policing of protests and

assemblies. I encourage you to publicly recognize the unacceptable risks associated

with these devices and to support the development of international standards

prohibiting their use in assembly contexts.

I would welcome the opportunity to meet with you and relevant officials to discuss

these concerns and recommendations in greater detail, including the need for stronger

safeguards and greater international leadership on the protection of the right to

peaceful assembly. I thank you for your attention to these important issues and look forward to your

response.

Yours sincerely,