On Friday February 11, activists of the Humanist Party launched a campaign to demand that commissioners and members of the judiciary are elected by the people. The campaign has emerged within the context of the launch of the new Metropolitan Police in the Argentine capital, which has been criticised by human rights organisations for the Taser pistols that it will use – weapons that work by administering an electric shock.
“The Humanist Party proposes Real Democracy, which means electing by direct public vote; it means administration control and removal mechanisms in the hands of the people and it means consulting people on the best way to administrate justice”, the organisation stated in a press release.
The central proposals of the campaign are:
+ Direct election of judges and commissioners via popular vote.
+ Popular mechanisms for removing officials from office due to a failure to fulfil their duties.
+ Permanent networks for public information on the administration of judges and commissioners.
+ Implementation of frequent and binding consultations on issues of general interest in respect of the problems of justice, in each jurisdiction.
+ Campaigns to raise awareness among the population of the real cause of public safety problems and legal neglect.
The base teams of the Humanist Party will set in motion activities to spread information and raise awareness in the city of Buenos Aires’ districts in Comunas 4, 5, 8, 9, 10 and 15, where their activists are already taking action, and more districts will be added in the future. Slogans, posters, flyers, festivals, petitions for popular consultation and a popular initiative are just some of the activities that all residents are invited to take part in to provide a real response to the public safety problems that the public endure day to day.
(Translated from Spanish by [Simon Bruni](http://www.simonbruni.com/))
