New deal to allow inmate extradition from US to Georgia - Justice Minister

Georgian Justice Minister Rati Bregadze on Friday told the Parliament a new agreement with the United States would allow extradition of inmates and convicts from the country to Georgia. 

Bregadze revealed the plans while briefing lawmakers about activities of his office, and said the agreement would be signed “in the near future”.

He also detailed other projects of the Ministry, telling MPs the body had launched a practice of bilateral legal forums to provide a “unique opportunity” for law professionals to share knowledge with counterparts from abroad and exchange information. 

The official also made a mention of the international Conference on Innovations in the Rehabilitation and Resocialisation Process of Inmates and Probationers, hosted for the first time in Tbilisi this month and resulting in adoption of a 12-point declaration that will be used for rehabilitation of prisoners and probationers. 

It was for the first time Tbilisi hosted such a high-level event with the engagement of [representatives from] up to 20 states”, he said. 

In comments on the Ministry’s work for alignment of domestic legislation with the European Union legal framework, the official said his body had proposed amendments to the Parliament that would allow the Ministry to coordinate the process. 

He also noted an electronic programme had been developed to manage the alignment process through collection and analysis of related data, and noted a “practical guide” to the legal alignment would be published by the end of this year for employees of “relevant state agencies”.

In his remarks the official also extended his gratitude to the United States authorities for ensuring professional training for 160 employees of the penitentiary and probation systems of the Ministry this year.