Report on Georgia by CoE
The Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) today published its second report on Georgia.
The report is based on CPT’s visits to Georgia in November 2003 and in May 2004.
The report finds that criminal suspects are still in significant risk of being ill-treated by the police. In response, the Committee suggests measures that promote the integration of human rights concepts into practical professional training and the increased training of investigators and police operational staff in modern interrogation and investigation techniques.
The CPT has also recommended that legal safeguards against ill-treatment, such as notification of custody, access to a lawyer, and access to a doctor, be rendered fully effective in practice.
CPT also expressed a concern at the lack of progress in numerous areas of the Georgian penitentiary system. The increase in the prison population alongside the poor condition of existing prison assets rendered conditions in many establishments in clear violation of the provisions of both Georgian legislation and international standards. On the positive side, CPT noted that considerable progress has been made in combating the spread of tuberculosis.
The Georgian government, which requested the publication of the CPT’s report, is preparing its response to the points raised by the Committee.
