On 12-13 September 2019, the Public Defender's Office organized a training on issues relating to international refugee protection and security. The training was attended by representatives of the Public Defender's Office, Ministry of Internal Affairs, State Security Service and Regional Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in the South Caucasus.

At the opening ceremony, First Deputy Public Defender Tamar Gvaramadze and acting UNHCRRegional Representative in theSouth Caucasus Yoko Akasaka spoke about the challenges relating to the refugee protection and the role of all the agencies involved in the process.

The training focused on the activities of the Public Defender's Office in relation to the rights siutation of aliens, including internationally protected persons and asylum seekers, and the relevant recommendations issued by state agencies. The UNHCR mandate and activities in Georgia, as well as the organization's views on refugee protection and security were also introduced at the meeting.

Expert Besarion Bokhashvili spoke about the commitments under the European Convention relating to the refugees and responsibilities of state authorities, standards established by the European Court of Human Rights, as well as cases of extradition, deportation and expulsion.

The two-day meeting highlighted the importance of cooperation between the Public Defender's Office and relevant state agencies in improving the rights situation of aliens, including asylum seekers and internationally protected persons.

The event was organized with the financial support of the UNHCR Regional Representative in the South Caucasus, within the framework of the “Support to the Public Defender's Office in Studying the Situation of Project Beneficiaries” project.