Justice Minister, CoE Deputy Sec Gen discuss achieved progress in human rights protection
The importance of the implementation of decisions made by the ECHR in interstate cases, by which the responsibility for “massive human rights violations” during the August 2008 war rested on Russia, was also pointed out by Bregadze and Berge. Photo via Justice Ministry
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Georgian Justice Minister Rati Bregadze and Bjørn Berge, the Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe, on Thursday discussed the progress achieved by the country in human rights protection.
Bregadze cited the statistics of cases submitted to the European Court of Human Rights, according to which as of January 2023, the Court had considered 147 complaints from Georgia, which was a “historical minimum”, while in 2011 the ECHR had considered 3045 cases against the country.
The officials also reviewed the results of justice and penitentiary system reforms, with Bregadze stressing that the systemic problem of inhuman treatment and torture was completely eliminated in Georgian prisons, which was confirmed by “a number of international authoritative organisations”, including the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.
Photo via Justice Ministry
Since 2012, the ECHR has not received any lawsuits against Georgia from prisoners, the Minister added.
The conversation also touched on the new penitentiary code, a digital learning platform Digital University for convicts in penitentiary institutions, rehabilitation and resocialization projects for prisoners, as well as on the country’s strategy to replace large penitentiary institutions with small prisons.
The importance of the implementation of decisions made by the ECHR in interstate cases, by which the responsibility for “massive human rights violations” during the August 2008 war rested on Russia, was also pointed out by Bregadze and Berge.
The sides emphasised the significance of effective cooperation between Georgia and the CoE in the country’s integration into the European Union.
The European Court of Human Rights ruling in a case involving a former prisoner has “confirmed” torture and inhuman treatment were “systematic and widespread” in Georgian prisons under the United National Movement Government, the country’s Justice Ministry said on Friday.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Monday highlighted the decreasing number of cases filed against conditions in the country’s penitentiary system in the European Court of Human Rights, in his end-of-year report summarising the work of his Government.
Georgian Justice Minister Rati Bregadze on Friday highlighted the European Court of Human Rights had not received a “single complaint” about conditions in the Georgian penitentiary system since 2012, when the ruling Georgian Dream party came into power.
A digital learning platform Digital University for convicts in penitentiary institutions has been launched for the first time in Georgia, allowing convicted students to remotely receive a comprehensive higher education, attend lectures online and have direct, interactive communication with lecturers, the justice ministry announced on Saturday.