CoE Secretary General highlights “very interesting” meeting with Georgian Public Defender

Alain Berset, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, on Wednesday highlighted his “very interesting” meeting with Levan Ioseliani, the Georgian Public Defender, on current developments in the country amid ongoing public protests in Georgia against the Government's decision to suspend European Union accession talks until 2028.

In his social media post, the CoE Secretary General, on a visit to Georgia, said the Public Defender’s work was “essential for the transparency of investigations on alleged police violence and unjustified detentions” amid ongoing protests.

The Public Defender’s Office said the meeting had discussed ongoing developments in the country, political polarisation, as well as facts of mistreatment of protesters by law enforcement officers, and the current situation regarding freedom of assembly and expression.

It added Ioseliani also introduced the Office’s efforts in protecting the rights of detainees and those injured during detentions.