Garibashvili: Georgia is fighting injustice and restoring citizens’ rights

"Restoration of violated rights of our citizens has its rules and we cannot artificially speed up the process”, Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said today while presenting a new department of the Chief Prosecutor’s Office.

The new Department of Investigation of Offences Committed in Legal Proceedings was created to investigate crimes committed by public servants where their actions resulted in citizens’ suffering physical and/or material damage.

Specifically, the new unit will initially focus on investigating alleged instances of criminal acts mentioned in claims or statements filed with the Office since October 1, 2012.

Of these cases, investigative priority will be given to crimes involving unlawful deprivation of property and acts of violence, which include beating and torture, inhumane and degrading treatment and all crimes in which a public servant or an equivalent person is accused.

"For the past two years we have done everything to restore the violated rights of our citizens. We understand our responsibility towards these people. In October 2012 our Government studied thousands of such cases,” Garibashvili noted.

"As you know, former government’s senior officials have been detained and criminal proceedings have started against those people whose activities were linked to the years of unlawfulness, injustice, human oppression and insulting incidents. Restoration of violated rights of our citizens has its rules and we cannot artificially speed up the processes,” he said.

Garibashvili noted that hasty steps towards restoration of justice might sacrifice the interests of Georgia and future generations, which was "totally unacceptable.”

"That is why we cannot hurry. All processes need good analysis and decision-making, but one thing is clear – everyone should be responsible for the crimes they have initiated and organised and it should be clear for all governments, that no one will stay unpunished in Georgia, no matter who they are.”

The Prime Minister noted medium and lower level public officials who had abused their power but did not commit a crime will not face repercussions or bear responsibility for their actions.

"The investigation will focus on the organisers and initiators of crimes,” he noted.