Representatives of the Public Defender's Office of Georgia paid a training visit to the Ombudsman's Office of Serbia on July 21-24. The visit was attended by Deputy Public Defender Natia Katsitadze, Head of the Department of Protection of Human Rights in Defense Sphere Tamar Gabiani; Head of the Prevention and Monitoring Department Nika Kvaratskhelia and Senior Specialist Levan Begiashvili, as well as Head of the Criminal Justice Department Ekaterine Khutsishvili.

The visit was organized by the Democratic Control Centre of Armed Forces (DCAF) and the Public Defender's Office of Serbia. The visit was aimed at sharing experience of Serbia’s Public Defender's Office in military matters and work specifics of national preventive mechanism and monitoring of security sector.

Meetings were held with Serbian Public Defender Sasha Jankovic, the Deputy Public Defender, who is at the same time the head of Serbia's national preventive mechanism, and the Public Defender's Advisers, who are in charge of democratic and civic control of military and civic security services.

The sides discussed in detail the issues of implementation of monitoring in various types of detention facilities, prevention of torture, control of activities of the defense ministry and armed forces, security sector, as well as monitoring of civic and military intelligence.

Representatives of the Public Defender's Office of Georgia briefed the Serbian Public Defender of how their departments work. The sides shared experience in dealing with the issues and challenges raised during their discussions that are important for both Georgian and Serbian Public Defender's Offices.

At the end of the meeting both sides expressed readiness for close cooperation in the future.