HRW: Torture Persists, Despite Government’s Effort

The Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a briefing paper released on April 12 that, despite some effort, the Georgian government has failed to curb torture of detainees in the law enforcement agencies.

“Although government officials were well aware of the problem of torture in Georgia, they were slow to react to these new developments, and at times appeared unconcerned by them. Statements made by the President [Mikheil Saakashvili] and other high-level officials even appeared to encourage abuses by law enforcement personnel,” the briefing paper, “Georgia: Uncertain Torture Reform,” reads.

However, also according to this document, by October, 2004, after a concerted effort by the local non-governmental organizations to place the issue of torture on the government agenda, the authorities “appeared to listen.” The paper refers to the setting up of monitoring groups, that include civil society representatives, to observe the situation in prisons and detention centers. The HRW also hails the Georgian authorities’ decision to resume a joint project with the OSCE to establish and implement a national action plan against torture.

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