Amnesty has investigated police actions in European countries that have largely been shut down during the corona pandemic and where residents' mobility has been severely restricted. According to Amnesty, police and other law enforcement agencies have many times violated human rights when trying to enforce the restrictions imposed by each country. 

- Enforcement of the shutdown has led to discrimination and has had a disproportionate effect on specific groups, including ethnic minorities, refugees and homeless people, says Marco Perolini, who adds that there is a development that exists in many EU countries.

- This is a trend that we have seen, not only in one or two, but in 12 EU countries.

Point out 12 EU countries in the report

The countries that Amnesty points out in its report are: Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, United Kingdom and Hungary. 

According to Amnesty, breaking a curfew or any other restriction on free movement can never justify an excessive use of force by the police. The organization is concerned about the reports it has received about illegal use of force against people who did not appear to offer any resistance or pose any significant threat. These include police checks, fines, mandatory coronation tests and deployment of military in refugee camps.

- It has limited the human rights of marginalized groups and people who have experienced stigmatization, discrimination and violence even before the pandemic, writes Amnesty.

The audit was conducted between March and June when enforcement of the country's restrictions was monitored. The organization studied media coverage and collaborated with NGOs in the countries surveyed. In addition, some 30 telephone interviews were conducted with people who were affected in various ways by police actions, lawyers and local authorities.