UN Human Rights office concerned by possible abolishment of State Inspector's Service in Georgia
The UN Human Rights office also says that the independence of national human rights mechanisms should be ensured in the country. Photo: devex.com.
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The United Nations Human Rights office has called on the ruling Georgian Dream party to withdraw a bill proposing to replace the State Inspector's Service with two new agencies.
Several Georgian majoritarian MPs put forward a bill on December 25 based on which the State Inspector’s Service would be replaced by two new agencies: the Special Investigation Service and the Personal Data Protection Service, which would be authorised to investigate offences committed by the authorities and to monitor personal data processing respectively.
The UN Human Rights office says that it is ‘deeply concerned’ by the proposal, noting that the Inspector’s Service is an ‘independent institution with a key role in torture prevention and privacy protection.’
#Georgia: Deep concern over proposals for Parliament to abolish State Inspector's office, an independent institution with key role in #TorturePrevention & privacy protection. We call for the initiative to be withdrawn & to ensure independence of national human rights mechanisms.
— UN Human Rights (@UNHumanRights) December 27, 2021
It also says that the independence of national human rights mechanisms should be ensured in the country.
NGOs, the parliamentary opposition and State Inspector Londa Toloraia have criticised the bill stating that the government aims to influence the independent institution.
Toloraia called the initiative of the MPs a 'punishment of the service for its independence' earlier today and stated that she will protect the 'interests of the Service and each of its employees.'
NGOs said that the State Inspector's Service has been praised for its ‘independence and impartiality’ by international partners, noting that the body needs to be strengthened instead of being replaced.
The Georgian parliament adopted the law on the State Inspector’s Service on July 21, 2018, and the Service began operations on November 1, 2019.
Per the bill, the State Inspector’s Service is assigned to conduct the investigations with the supervision of the Georgian Prosecutor's office.
The State Inspector’s Service has received a total of 5,523 notifications with eight police officers having been convicted over the last two years.
Georgian majoritarian MPs have put forward a new bill which proposes replacing the State Inspector's Service with Special Investigation and Personal Data Protection services.
Georgia’s State Inspector’s Office, which studies alleged offences committed by law enforcement agencies and officers, has fined the country’s Justice Ministry and the Special Penitentiary Service 2,000 GEL for the release of videos of former president Mikheil Saakashvili in prison.
The State Inspector’s Service will investigate the alleged physical assault on ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili when he was transferred to Gldani prison hospital on November 8. Saakashvili claims that prison staff verbally and physically abused him, saying ‘[they] dragged me to the ground and hit me several times in the neck.’
Ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party MP Mamuka Mdinaradze has stated that the GD has proposed splitting the State Inspector’s Service into two agencies because the investigative and personal data protection functions are ‘not compatible with each other.’
A total of 17 NGOs have called on the Georgian government to ‘stop attacks on independent institutions’ following Georgian majoritarian MPs’ proposal to replace the State Inspector's Service, which investigates alleged offences committed by state officials and law enforcement agencies, with the Special Investigation and Personal Data Protection services.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has stated that a recent ruling Georgian Dream party backed initiative to divide the State Inspector’s Service into two new agencies will strengthen the bodies and provide them with more independence, transparency and rights.
US Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan has stated that ‘there is no need to rush’ with adopting a bill proposing to replace the State Inspector's Service with two new agencies, calling on the Georgian parliament to slow down the process.
European Parliament member Viola von Cramon has called the possible adoption of a bill proposed by the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party replacing the State Inspector’s Service with two new agencies 'disturbing'. MEP Cramon stated that the Georgian government is ‘trying to abolish’ the Inspector’s Service, calling it ‘one of the most professional and well-functioning state institutions.’
The Georgian parliament has approved a bill to replace the State Inspector's Service with a Special Investigation Service and Personal Data Protection Service in March 2022.
Eighty-one MPs supported the amendments proposed by ruling Georgian Dream party MPs in its third and final reading in the 150-member legislative body.