Event of the Human Rights House Tbilisi – Do Not Torture!

Tinatin Japaridze

On June 26, Human Rights House Tbilisi and its member organizations organized an event dedicated to the International Day for the Support of Torture Victims on the Bridge of Peace in Tbilisi. The slogan of the event was: “Do Not Torture”.

Participants wrote anti-torture messages on color papers and let them boat in the Mtkvari.

Human Rights House annually celebrates this day in Georgia. Participants again condemned torture and inhuman treatment facts observed in penitentiary establishments during previous government and called upon the MIA to effectively investigate all cases related with torture facts. Additionally, HRHT calls to effectively protect the rights of torture victims and to rehabilitate them. 

“We join the demonstration dedicated to the International Day for the Support of Torture Victims and want to let our emotions and feelings related with torture facts, which we had endured for the last years, flow away with the river,” said Sopo Tabagua, head of Union Sapari.

“We want to remind the government that we do remember everything, we are on alert and monitor their activities in this direction,” said Tamar Gabisonia, executive director of the Article 42 of the Constitution.

“We do not have an illusion that everything will finish today with this event. Current government has many challenges. We address to the Ministry of Internal Affairs to conduct independent, impartial and effective investigation into every fact of ill-treatment. Every person participating in this grave crime shall be revealed and punished under the law. The state shall secure safety of the victims, perpetrators and their family members; presumption of innocence of the accused people and anonymity shall be guaranteed till the end of the investigation,” said Aleko Tskitishvili, Board Chairman at the Human Rights House Tbilisi. 

The members of the Human Rights House Tbilisi are: Human Rights Center, Georgian Center for Psycho-Social and Medical Rehabilitation Center (GCRT), Article 42 of the Constitution, Union Sapari, Center for Human Rights and Conflict Studies – Caucasia and Media Institute.