UN Criticizes Georgia for Torture

UN Committee against Torture (CAT) have studied facts of Human Rights violation in Georgia and prepared long recommendation list for the Georgian Government.  UN experts are especially concerned about use of force and wearing masks by police officers. UN gives Georgia one year period to fulfill these recommendations.

In May 2006 report about Human Rights Violations in Georgia was presented to UN Committee against Torture by Georgian government. The Committee has also studied an alternative report, made by local and international NGOs (OMCT, Human Rights Information and Documentation Centre, Young Lawyer’s Association, and Public Health and Medicine Development Fund of Georgia) about Human Rights Violations in Georgia and worked out quite strict recommendations.

Themes like bad conditions in Penitentiary system, use of force from law enforcers, wearing masks by police officers, women and child’s rights, human trafficking, etc are considered in the report.

“Constitutional and Legislation changes are the biggest concern, which increased governmental influence on Court; illegal arrests, attacks, facts of beating and suppress of free media happens almost every day in Georgia. The Court has finally lost it’s independence, problem of impurity still remains problematic; the right of manifestation is often violated,” – is said in the report. 

According to one of the parts of the report, only 40 cases of torture children were registered in 2005. In accordance with the authors of shadow report, UN is concerned with activities of masked law enforcers.

“Unfortunately, many recommendations are the same as suggestions made last year, however new threatening tendencies are shown this year – one of them is syndrome of impunity. CAT warns Georgian state to use zero tolerance policy within penitentiary and police system. UN has taken into consideration many of our recommendations and have added them to their list of recommendations.”

Authors of alternative report and the representative of OMCT Cecile Trochu met with the members of Georgian government to discuss the recommendations. According to Mrs. Trochu, Human Rights situation in Georgia is not good.

“In the up-mentioned report, we tried to underline the fact, that while fighting against criminal, Georgian government often violates human rights. We are concerned about inhuman and degrading treatment, violations of women’s and child’s rights. Georgia looks like a pupil, who tries his best; however is not the best in the class.”

Georgia should submit to UN a report about fulfilling these recommendations by May 2007. If the recommendations are not met, it will cause worsening country’s international reputation.

According to Cecile Trochu, fulfilling recommendations are depending on the country’s common will: “No sanctions exist to force the country to implement recommendations. It only needs common will and active involvement of local and international NGOs. We will try our best to make Georgia to fulfil these recommendations”.

Eka Gulua