Africa

Angola
 ·        Penal Code
Benin
 ·         Constitution (Art. 15)
Botswana
 ·         Constitution (Art. 4)

·         Penal Code 1964

·         Police Act 1979

·         Public Order Act 1967
Burkina Faso
 ·         Constitution (Art. 2)

·         Disciplinary Regulations for the Armed-Forces (2008)

·         Disciplinary Regulations for the National Police (2012)

·         Law No. 023-2003/AN on Domestic Security
Burundi
 ·         Constitution (Art. 26)

·         Law No. 1/04 of 27 June 2016 on the Protection of Victims, Witnesses and Other Persons at Risk

·         Penal Code 2009

·         Penal Procedure Code 2000

·         Police Code Burundi 2005
Cameroon
 ·         Constitution (excerpts of preamble)

·         Criminal Procedure Code 2005

·         Decree No. 75/700 on the General Discipline in the Armed Forces

·         Maintenance and Order of Assemblies 1990
Cape Verde
 ·         Constitution

·         Penal Code 2003
Central African Republic 
 ·         Constitution (Art. 3)

·         Penal Code 2007
Chad
 ·         Constitution (Arts. 17, 18)
Comoros
 ·         Code of Criminal Procedure 1970

·         Constitution (Preamble)

·         Penal Code 1981
Congo (Republic of the)
 ·         Constitution (Art. 7)

·         Organic Law on Police 2011
Cote d’Ivoire
 ·         Constitution (Art. 2)

·         Statute of Personnel of National Police 2001
Democratic Republic of Congo
 ·         Code of Criminal Procedure 1959

·         Constitution (Art. 16)

·         Decree Regulating Demonstration and Public Meetings 1999

·         Penal Code 1940
Djibouti
 ·         Code of Penal Procedure

·         Constitution (Art. 10)

·         Penal Code 1995
Equatorial Guinea
 ·         Constitution  (Item 13)

·         Penal Code 1963
Eritrea
 ·         Constitution (Art. 15)
Ethiopia
 ·         Constitution (proclamation no. 1/1995)

·         Code of Criminal Procedure (proclamation no. 185/1961)

·         Criminal Code (proclamation no. 414/2004)

·         Federal Prisons Commission Establishment Proclamation no. 365/2003

·         A Proclamation no. 652/2009 on Anti-Terrorism

·         A Proclamation no. 720/2011 to Provide for the Establishment of the Ethiopian Federal Police Commission

·         A Proclamation no. 644/2016 to Provide for the Amendment of the Ethiopian Federal Police Commission Establishment Proclamation

·         Federal Police Officers Administration Council of Ministers Regulation no. 268/2012
Gabon
 ·         Constitution (Art. 1)

·         Code of Criminal Procedure 1961

·         Penal Code 1963
Gambia
 ·         Constitution (Art. 18)
Ghana
 ·         Constitution (Art. 13)

·         Police Order Act 1994
Guinea (Republic of)
 ·         Code of Conduct of Defence Forces 2011

·         Code of Criminal Procedure 1998

·         Constitution (Art. 6)

·         Criminal Code 1988

·         Decree No. 169/2013 on the Structure and Mission of the National Police Personnel

·         Deontological Code of the National Police1998
Guinea-Bissau
 ·        Constitution (Arts. 36-37)
Kenya
 ·         Constitution 2010 (Chapter 4: The Bill of Rights)

·         National Police Service Act No. 11A/2011 as amended through 2016

·         Public Order Act 2003 (CAP. 56)

·         Penal Code 2009 (CAP. 63)

·         Independent Policing Oversight Authority Act 2012 (CAP. 88)

·         Prisons Act 1962 (CAP. 90) as amended through 2016

·         Prevention of Torture Act (No. 12 of 2017)
Lesotho
 ·         Constitution (Art. 5)

·         Criminal Procedure and Evidence (Amendment) Act 1998

·         Penal Code Act 2010

·         Police Service Bill 1997
Liberia
 ·         Constitution (Art. 20)

·         Criminal Procedure Law 1969

·         Penal Code 1976 (Title 26)
Madagascar
 ·         Consitution (Art. 8)

·         Police Service Regulations 1963
Malawi
 ·         Consitution (Art. 16)

·         Criminal Procedure and Evidence Code 2003

·         Penal Code 1930
Mali
 ·         Code of Criminal Procedure 1962

·         Constitution (Art. 1)

·         Penal Code 1961
Mauritania
 ·         Code of Criminal Procedure 1984

·         Penal Code 1984
Mauritius
 ·         Constitution (Section 4)

·         Criminal Code 1838, as amended in 2006

·         Police Act 1974
Mozambique
 ·         Constitution (Art. 40)

·         Police Statute 1999
Namibia
 ·         Constitution (Art. 6)

·         Correctional Service Act No. 5008/2012

·         Criminal Procedure Act No. 3358/2004

·         Police Act 1990

·         Prisons Act No. 1894/1998
Niger
 ·         Constitution (Art. 12)

·         Penal Code 1961, as amended in 2003

·         Penal Procedure Code 1961, as amended in 2004
Nigeria
 ·        Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015

·        Constitution (Section 33)

·         Constitution 1999

·         Criminal Procedure (Northern State) Act 1960

·         Criminal Procedure Act 1945

·         Criminal Procedure Act 1990

·         Force Order 237

·         Penal Code (Northern States) Federal Provisions Act 1960

·         Police Act 1967

·         Police Service Commission Act 2001

·         Prisons Act 1972

·         Public Order Act 1979

·         Public Order (Amendment) Bill 2006
Rwanda
 ·         Constitution (Art. 12)

·         Criminal Procedure Code 2003

·         Law No. 9/2000 on Establishment,General Organisation and Jurisdiction of National Police (Title5)

·         Organic Law instituting the Penal Code 2012

·         Organic Law governing Political Organisations and Politicians 2007

·         Presidential Order 155 on Statutes Governing National Police 2002
Sao Tomé and Principe
 ·         Constitution (Art. 21)
Senegal
 ·         Code of Criminal Procedure 1965

·         Code of Discipline in the Armed Forces 1990

·         Constitution (Art. 7)
Seychelles
 ·         Code of Criminal Procedure 1955

·         Constitution (Art. 15)

·         Penal Code 1955
Sierra Leone
 ·         Constitution (Art. 16)

·         Corporal Punishment Act 1953

·         Criminal Procedure Acts 1965

·         National Drugs Control Act 2008

·         Public Order Act 1965
Somalia
 ·         Constitution (Art. 13)

·         Criminal Procedure Code 1962

·         Law No. 2/1972 on the Organization of the Police

·         Prison Law 1971

·         Public Order Law 1963
South Africa
 ·         Constitution

·         Correctional Services Act No. 111/1998, as amended in 2011

·         Criminal Procedures Act No. 51/1977, as amended in 2014

·         Independent Police Investigative Directorate Act 2011

·         National Instruction on Public Order Police 2012

·         Policing Standards 2008

·         Regulation of Gatherings Act No. 205/1993

·         Safety at Sports and Recreational Events Act 2010

·         South African Territory Penal Code No. 24/1886
South Sudan
 ·         Constitution (Art. 11)

·         Criminal Procedures Code 2008

·         Penal Code Act 2008

·         Police Service Act 2009

·         Prisons Act 2003
Sudan
 ·         Constitution (Art. 28)

·         Criminal Procedure Code 2003

·         National Security Act 2009 (excerpt)

·         Penal Code 2003

·         Police Act 2003

·         Police General Regulations 2003

·         Prisons Act 2003

·         Public Order Act 1998
Swaziland
 ·         Constitution (Art. 14)
Togo
 ·         Constitution (Art. 13)

·         Criminal Code 1980

·         Criminal Procedure Code 1960

·         National Police Act Togo 2008
Uganda
 ·         Constitution (Art. 22)

·         Penal Code Act 1950

·         Police Act 1994

·         Prisons Act 2006

·         Public Order Management Bill 2011
Tanzania
 ·         Constitution (Art. 14)

·         Criminal Procedure Act 1985

·         Penal Code 1945

·         Prisons Act 1967

·         Refugee Act 1998

·         The Police Force and Auxiliary Services Act 1953

·         The Witchcraft Act 1928
Zambia
 ·         Constitution (Art. 12)
Zimbabwe
 ·         Constitution (Art. 48)

·         Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act, as amended in 2002

·         Prisons Act 1956 (Title 7; Chapter 7:11)

·         Public Order and Security Act (Chapter 11:17), as amended in 2007
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DISCLAIMER
The documents listed are not supposed to present an exhaustive collection of all domestic legislation covering the topic of policing and human rights. It cannot be guaranteed that they represent the most current and up-to-date information. Furthermore, they are not presented as good practices nor their inclusion on this website should be understood as a judgment of (or an appreciation for) State compliance with international human rights standards. These documents are collected for the sole purpose of facilitating research for any individual or organisation working on policing issues.