CoE Human Rights Commissioner: Georgian politicians should 'fully respect' the ombudswoman
The commissioner noted that she discussed the issue during the meeting with Georgian officials. Photo: coe.int
Tweet 
Share
Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner Dunja Mijatovic has called on Georgian politicians to 'fully respect' the public defender's mandate.
Mijatovic said that Georgian MPs criticizing Ombudswoman Nino Lomjaria for her efforts to defend the incarcerated former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili's rights is 'unacceptable.'
Attacks by politicians vs. the Georgian Public Defender @Ombudsman_Geo are unacceptable. Georgian authorities should ensure an environment conducive to the independent & effective discharge of her work, incl. re the case of former President Saakashvili. https://t.co/s7QspGgId6
— Commissioner for Human Rights (@CommissionerHR) November 23, 2021
The commissioner noted that she discussed the issue during the meeting held yesterday with the ruling Georgian Dream party head Irakli Kobakhidze and the chairwoman of the Georgian Parliament's EU integration committee Maka Bochorishvili.
It is crucially important first and foremost for all citizens of Georgia but also for Georgia’s international partners, including the Council of Europe, to be able to count on the expertise of an Ombudsman institution which is able to discharge its works independently and effectively, in full compliance with international standards, Mijatovic added.
The commissioner announced that she will pay an official visit to Georgia in February 2022.
Lomjaria invited a medical panel to assess Saakashvili's health last week. Following the panel's conclusion on Saakashvili's condition, Kobakhidze said that the conclusion was 'fake' and could cause legal trouble for Lomjaria.
The public defender said earlier today the European Court of Human Rights had used the report of the medical panel invited by her regarding Saakashvili's health.
Georgian public advocate Nino Lomjaria says that the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) issued an interim measure on November 19 in which the court demanded the Georgian government provide ‘adequate medical care’ for former president Mikheil Saakashvili, in accordance with ‘changed medical circumstances’ revealed by the medical panel invited by Lomjaria on its November 17 conclusion.
Head of the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party Irakli Kobakhidze has accused a medical panel invited by public advocate Nino Lomjaria of coming to a ‘fake conclusion’ about the health of former president Mikheil Saakashvili, stating that this may cause legal trouble for Lomjaria.
A medical council composed of eight health experts under Georgian Public Defender Nino Lomjaria has presented its conclusion on the health of former president Mikheil Saakashvili, stating that the patient’s condition on the 49th day of his hunger strike is ‘critical,’ and he needs an ‘immediate transfer’ to a multi-profile, well-equipped civilian clinic.
EU Ambassador to Georgia Carl Hartzell has said that he welcomes Ombudswoman Nino Lomjaria's decision to establish a group of medical experts to monitor the imprisoned former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili's health. Lomjaria announced yesterday that she invited a group of medical experts to 'monitor the adequacy and timeliness' of medical services provided to Saakashvili.
Head of the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party Irakli Kobakhidze, who is holding meetings with MEPs and EU officials in Strasbourg along with other Georgian MPs, says that the country’s foreign partners wish to see a decrease in Georgian political polarization.
Georgian Public Defender Nino Lomjaria has become a member of the Board of Directors of the International Ombudsman Institute (IOI). The Board of Directors manages the organisations' activities and makes decisions regarding its future projects.
Opposition United National Movement (UNM) has claimed that the ruling Georgian Dream party stands behind the death of Batumi City Council member Nugzar Putkaradze. Denying the accusations, Head of Adjara government Tornike Rizhvadze is expecting for the apologies if his father is not in the recordings.
The current situation with human rights in Georgia and the Russian-occupied regions, as well as matters of ongoing reforms and questions of media freedom and pluralism were on the agenda for a meeting between Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Garibashvili and Dunja Mijatović, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, on Tuesday.
Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili has discussed her National Accord initiative to help reduce polarization in the country with Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatovic on Tuesday.
Dunja Mijatović, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, on Friday issued recommendations for the Georgian Government to combat LGBTQI+ discrimination and ensure worker and environmental rights protection.