The Public Defender of Georgia responds to the statement of some members of the Public Defender’s Consultative Council for Monitoring the Promotion, Protection and Implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (hereinafter - the Consultative Council of Persons with Disabilities) and explains that as a result of the ongoing processes in the country, the Public Defender's Office has switched to an emergency mode of operation. Accordingly, the Public Defender has canceled various planned activities, including business trips and meetings. The session of the Council of Ethnic Minorities has also been postponed several times.

Given the current situation, members of the Consultative Council of Persons with Disabilities were informed that due to a number of unforeseen circumstances, the Public Defender might not be able to participate in the meeting scheduled for December, and therefore the meeting was postponed to the first half of January. Portraying the above as if the Public Defender is delaying the holding of the consultative meeting of persons with disabilities is a misinterpretation of the issue. Accordingly, we would like to emphasize once again that the postponement of the meeting was caused solely by the current situation and is not intended to hinder the work of the Council or the involvement of persons with disabilities in the decision-making process.

In addition, we would like to emphasize that the protection of the rights of persons with disabilities is one of the priority directions of the Public Defender's Office, and the Public Defender has responded appropriately to all alleged violations of the rights of persons with disabilities that have become publicly known or have been reported.

In particular:

⁠The Public Defender's Office has started examination of the seizure of ID cards from persons with disabilities.

The Public Defender responded to the cases of pressure on public officials with a public statement and the Office expresses its readiness to examine each individual case, including those related to alleged labour discrimination against public officials with disabilities. We would like to note that at this stage the Office has not received any application of a public official with disabilities.

⁠The Public Defender himself attended the voting procedure of a person with disabilities and a statement was made on the election day regarding the shortcomings identified in the voting process.

All persons with disabilities participating in the ongoing protests and detained were visited by the Public Defender or his representatives, after which the Office took appropriate steps. In addition, the Public Defender, among other things, emphasizes in public statements the importance of freedom of expression for persons with disabilities and the State's obligation to ensure a safe environment for equal participation of persons with disabilities in the processes.

In addition, the Public Defender's Office actively works to protect the rights of persons with disabilities in all areas. Inter alia, the Public Defender and his representatives monitor psychiatric hospitals, shelters for persons with disabilities and community organizations. Last month alone, the Public Defender visited psychiatric institutions in Rustavi and Surami, as well as the Bediani shelter for persons with disabilities and community organizations in Kakheti. The results of the monitoring conducted by the Public Defender's Office will be reflected in special and parliamentary reports.