Bill proposes electronic surveillance both for violent offenders and their targets
The bill proposed by the Georgian Interior Ministry still needs to be approved by parliament.Photo: civilbeat.org.
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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.
The electronic surveillance will be used in the cases when the chance of repeated violence is high, the ministry official said.
- Electronic monitoring is tagging a person as a form of surveillance, mostly in the form of a GPS-enabled ankle bracelet.
- Interior Ministry issues 5,399 restraining orders in January-June 2019
The bill has already been presented to the government for discussion and soon will be sent to parliament for approval.
The other 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 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 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).
The European Union has transferred 110 million GEL(about $ 41.28m/€36.8m) to the government of Georgia in acknowledgement of government reforms conducted in 2017 and 2018.
Georgian law enforcers have issued 7,762 restraining orders in the first nine months of 2019, while the total figure from last year was 7,646.
4,564 individuals were charged for domestic violence and crimes throughout Georgia in 2019, Deputy Interior Minister Nino Tsatsiashvili said at a briefing today.
A large-scale campaign to combat violence against women in Georgia will be launched, reports the press office of the Government Administration. The Ministries of Justice, Interior, Regional Development, Health, Education and the Prosecutor’s Office will be involved in the campaign.
The Georgian parliament has passed a bill in its third and final reading today which allows for the use of electronic surveillance to prevent domestic violence.