A workshoptitled“Effective Safeguards to Prevent Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment during Arrest and Pre-trial Detention” was held in Geneva, Switzerland, on October 6, 2017.

Speeches were delivered at the workshop by NilsMelzer, UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Issues, Jens Modvig, Chairperson of the Committee against Torture, Malcolm Evans, Head of the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture, Barbara Burnat, representative of the Association for the Prevention of Torture, and high-ranking judges of Chile and Brazil. It is noteworthy that out of 65 national prevention mechanisms, only representative of Georgia’s National Preventive Mechanism - Nika Kvaratskhelia, Head of the Department of Prevention and Monitoring of the Public Defender of Georgia, was invited to the workshop as a rapporteur.

Nika Kvaratskhelia spoke about the role of the supervisory bodies, including the national prevention mechanisms, in the prevention of torture; the activities of the Public Defender of Georgia both in terms of responding to individual cases and taking preventive measures; specifics of hotline and mobile group functioning, as well as the functions, working methodology and experience of the Special Preventive Group of the Public Defender of Georgia. He also underlined the public campaign Society against Torture hat has recently been launched by the Public Defender of Georgia.

The achievements and challenges in the prevention of torture were discussed at the meeting. A number of calls have been made to States to take necessary measures for practical implementation of the idea of ​​prevention of torture and to work closely with national preventive mechanisms.

Pursuant to the United Nations Human Rights Council's resolution of 24 March 2016, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights will present a summary report about the workshop at the 37^th session of the Human Rights Council.