A number of officers are partaking in a social media protest, over decision to take action against officers that had manhandled an unarmed man during an operation.

Seven officers from the police’s Drug Enforcement Department (DED) have been suspended over the incident that took place on July 5, and are under criminal investigation.

As part of a protest against this, a number of police officers have been changing their social medial profile pictures, to one that says “with DED”.

This is a violation of the police’s regulation on imposing administrative and disciplinary penalties.

Disclosing confidential information via any media platforms and supporting anything on social media regarding any such issue, is a violation of the regulation. Even a like or share, of a post on social media, can be considered a violation as well.

Officers found guilty of violating this can be counseled, fined, demoted, transferred or dismissed.

The police’s regulation on imposing administrative and disciplinary penalties was amended in 2017, granting authority to take action against officers that are to have been found of guilty of violating it while abroad.

Police said that the manhandling incident occurred during a drug operation, where they confiscated 641g of narcotics.

A video of the officers beating a suspect, was circulated on social media prompting the institution to take quick action against them.