UN Special Rapporteur on torture returns to Georgia

A United Nations (UN) human rights expert is set to visit Georgia to check on the country’s progress and write a report - 10 years after he last reviewed the country.

UN human rights expert Juan Mendez will undertake an information-gathering mission to Georgia from March 12-19, 2015. This will be the first time in 10 years the former Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment has evaluated Georgia.

"In recent years, the Georgian Government has opened up to the international community and engaged with human rights experts to try and improve a wide range of issues within the criminal justice system,” Mendez said.

"It is my hope to play a small part in this shift to a more transparent society by having a constructive dialogue with a wide range of stakeholders to assist the Government to identify ongoing challenges that it may have with regards to upholding the rule of law, promoting accountability for torture and ill-treatment, and fulfilling the right of reparations for victims.”

While in Georgia the Special Rapporteur will meet with relevant authorities in the executive Government, the judiciary, Parliamentary committee members, national human rights institutions, civil society, international and regional organisations, victims and their families.

During his eight-day visit, at the invitation of the Government, Mendez will travel to eastern and western Georgia to conduct unannounced visits to places of detention, such as police stations, temporary detention isolation centres, pre-trial facilities and penitentiaries to review the current situation there. He anticipated such facilities had undergone significant changes since his predecessor’s visit.

"I welcome the Government’s initiative to follow up on the commitments made in 2005 with the accession to the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and establishing a national preventative mechanism in 2009,” he noted.

Mendez will share his preliminary comments and recommendations at a press conference to be held on Thursday March 19, 2015. He will present the final report to the Human Rights Council in March 2016.