Public Defender: illegal detentions, ill-treatment of citizens living in occupied regions remain “serious challenges” in 2023

The Georgian Public Defender Levan Ioseliani on Tuesday said the practice of illegal detention and ill-treatment of Georgian, Ossetian and Abkhaz population living in the occupied territories, as well as violations of property rights and continuous illegal "borderisation", “remained serious challenges” in 2023.

In an annual report on the situation of human rights and freedoms in Georgia for 2023, Ioseliani pointed out the impunity of the immediate participants in the murder of Tamaz Ginturi in November 2023 during an attempt of illegal arrest by occupation forces, as well as other Georgian citizens Davit Basharuli, Giga Otkhozoria, Archil Tatunashvili and Irakli Kvaratskhelia.

More efforts are needed from the State to protect the rights of the population displaced in their own country as a result of occupation”, the Public Defender said, stressing the “most difficult” challenges such as the health and safety conditions of women living along the occupation line, violence against women and domestic violence.

In a 386-page report, Ioseliani emphasised the need to “strengthen efforts” to eliminate “harmful practices and traditions” based on gender stereotypes, and to protect women from violence, as well as minors from violence and child marriage, calling the “intentional gender-based murder” of 14-year-old Aitaj Shakhmirova “alarming”.

“No effective steps have been taken” to eliminate the challenges in the country in the direction of the right to equality and the fight against discrimination, he said, adding in the reporting period the Public Defender’s Office had received 4 849 applications about human rights violations and had monitored “dozens of closed institutions”.

Conducting the upcoming parliamentary elections in a free, fair and peaceful environment is of particular importance for the country's democratic development and European integration”, the Public Defender noted, expressing hope the election day will be held without violations of human rights and the election processes would “enjoy high public confidence”.

Persistent challenges within penitentiary and psychiatric institutions, such as overcrowding and ill-treatment, were also stressed by Ioseliani, who highlighted the importance of legislative reform to enhance their rights.