Georgian Interior Ministry presents bill to prevent domestic violence, support victims
Restraining orders may be issued for up to nine months instead of the current six months. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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The Georgian Interior Ministry has presented a bill to the government of Georgia which aims to prevent domestic violence and ensure better protection and further support for victims of violence.
The changes offer to introduce the use of electronic bracelets to avoid repeated cases of violence and expand the validity period of restraining orders.
The proposed amendments to the law are as follows:
- In the case of the threat of repeat violence, a possible perpetrator may be required to wear an electronic surveillance bracelet.
- The Interior Ministry appeals to a court for permission to oblige the individual to wear the bracelet, to which the court must reply within 24 hours.
- If a perpetrator refuses the use of the electronic surveillance bracelet, he/she will face criminal prosecution and up to one year in prison.
- Restraining orders may be issued for nine months instead of the current six months. The court will specify the exact time period.
- The definition of a family member is expanding and it will also cover an individual who was in an unregistered marriage in the past, a recipient of support, a person in guardianship and care.
The changes are being carried out with the participation and support of the UN Women, which has already purchased 100 electronic bracelets and donated them to the Interior Ministry.
Officers of the Shida Kartli Police Department have arrested a person identified only as I.S., born in 1992, for domestic violence against a minor.
The Georgian Interior Ministry has issued 5,399 restraining orders from January through June 2019. The rate exceeds the number of restraining orders issued in the same period last year - (3,292). Most of the restraining orders were issued in Tbilisi (2,655) which was followed by Imereti, Racha-Lechkumi, Kvemo Svaneti (563) and Kvemo Kartli (477).
Public Defender of Georgia Nino Lomjaria held a press conference before releasing her office’s annual report on the state of human rights in Georgia
Georgia’s Interior Minister Giorgi Mgebrishvili is calling on all victims of domestic violence to speak out and seek help.
Both possible perpetrators and their targets may have to wear electronic surveillance bracelets to avoid crimes after the police issue a restraining order, a bill drafted by the Georgian Interior Ministry reads.
Police have detained the former head of Patrol Police Department David Tsinaridze for domestic violence.
Avtandil Kharadze, the ex-husband of the Parliament’s Human Rights Committee head, Sopo Kiladze has been charged with domestic violence.
4,633 individuals were charged for domestic violence and crimes throughout Georgia in 2020, which is 5.4 per cent more compared to the previous year, Chief Prosecutor Irakli Shotadze said while presenting his body’s annual report today.
Police identified 9,144 victims of domestic violence and 8,716 abusers throughout Georgia in 2020, reports the National Statistics Office of Georgia (Geostat).
Police have detained businessman Davit Kodua, brother of ex-head of Georgia’s Special Operative Department, for domestic violence.
Businessman Davit Kodua, brother of ex-official Erekle Kodua, has been sent to pre-trial detention for violence against his wife and daughter.