PRINCIPLE 3: EFFECTIVE INVESTIGATION Principle: The principle of effective investigation is directly linked to the fact that individuals must have accessible and effective remedies in place to protect their political rights. The right to an effective remedy can be undermined if the investigation process into an alleged violation is not effective. Practice: Effective investigation requires: ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Clear mandates; Competent and professional investigators; Systems of accountability; Established codes of conduct and systems to protect against conflicts of interest; Maintenance of a proper chain of evidence; and The ability to act against bad faith, malicious, or negligent complaints. Chapter topics: This chapter covers the following topics: ✓ ✓ ✓ Investigation mandate; Competence; and Professionalism. 91