Mandate of Interior Ministry Human Rights Department expands
The creation of the Human Rights Department was one of the first decisions of Giorgi Gakharia as Interior Minister in January 2018. Photo: Interior Ministry press office.
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The Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs has decided to expand the mandate of its Human Rights Department created in early 2018.
Monitoring of the investigation of crimes against life and health will be added to the obligations of the department starting from the year, Deputy Interior Minister Natia Mezvrishvili stated today.
In 2018 the department was tasked with monitoring:
- Investigations of domestic violence by the ministry and its various agencies.
- Investigations of violence against women.
- Investigative cases dealing with crime motivated by discrimination and hate.
- Cases involving the crime of trafficking.
Mezvrishvili stated that the reason of the expansion of powers is that the department dealt with its obligations “very successfully in 2018.”
The criminal police reform and the improvement of the quality of investigation is one of the top priorities for the ministry,” Mezvrishvili said.
She stated that the Interior Ministry will provide further efforts this year for the effective investigation of crimes motivated by discrimination and committed against minors.
The Georgian Interior Ministry reports that 116 individuals were charged in 2018 for various offences committed against minors.
Ruling Georgian Dream party MPs have drafted a bill which makes sexual harassment a punishable offence.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia has drafted a bill which provides civil restrictions and tougher punishment for those convicted of sexual crimes against minors.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia has announced it has launched a human rights department in a new move aimed at improving the qualification of law enforcement professionals in dealing with various new challenges in crime.
The Georgian Interior Ministry and OSCE Human Rights Office (ODIHR) have signed a deal to create a training programme for crime investigators that deal with cases involving discrimination.
The Georgian Interior Ministry has held a meeting with members of international organisations, NGOs and state agencies earlier today to speak about crimes committed against and by minors.
The Georgian Interior Ministry says that it has met nearly all the recommendations made by the Georgian Public Defender to them in 2018.
The Georgian MPs have unanimously approved a bill on sexual harassment with 102 votes in favor and 0 against.
The Georgian Interior Ministry will open a special division in Tbilisi in April 2020 which will be focused only on minors’ issues, head of the prime minister’s office Natia Mezvrishvili has stated. Mezvrishvili, who previously served as deputy interior minister, said that investigators specialised in minors’ issues will work in the division.She said that the work is underway with the Health Ministry to overcome the challenges related to social workers.
Challenges in human rights protection by Georgian institutions were discussed between the Interior Ministry and the Office of the Public Defender on Friday, the Ministry announced.