UNICEF Concerned over 10-Year Imprisonment for Juvenile

In a statement issues on July 18 the UN Children?s Fund (UNICEF) expressed deep concern with the case of 14 year-old Giorgi Zerekidze, who has recently been sentenced by the Tbilisi City Court to 10 years in prison for an attempted murder.

UNICEF called on Georgia to follow its commitments to ensure the full implementation of international juvenile justice standards under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which was adopted by Georgia in 1994.

?Unfortunately, detention in Georgia is used for minor crimes, and not always as a ?measure of last resort?. This is a matter of deep concern? UNICEF is further concerned about the increasing number of pre-trial detention cases, which stand contrary to the international standards governing juvenile justice,? UNICEF said.

Attorney of Giorgi Zerekidze says that convict has slightly injured 23-year-old men, but denied that it was a murder attempt. The Tbilisi City Court?s ruling was appealed to the higher level court.

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