On 27-28 March 2018, the Human Rights and Civil Integration Committee of the Parliament of Georgia is listening to the reports on implementation of recommendations included in the decree adopted by the Parliament of Georgia on 19 July 2018 concerning the Public Defender’s 2017 Report on the Situation of Human Rights and Freedoms in Georgia.

235 out of 344 recommendations of the Public Defender were included in the parliamentary decree and the Government of Georgia, ministries and other agencies were assigned to implement them.

On March 27, reports on the implementation of recommendations were presented by the Government of Georgia, the Ministry of Justice of Georgia, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia and the Prosecutor's Office of Georgia. According to the representatives of the state agencies, Public Defender’s recommendations were taken into account as much as possible and most of them were implemented or are being implemented.

Public Defender Nino Lomjaria noted in her speech that despite some progress, serious problems remained in connection with the investigation of cases of ill-treatment; it is still unclear how the investigation into Machalikashvili's death is progressing. In addition, Nino Lomjaria asked MPs to make amendments to the relevant law to grant the Public Defender access to the investigation materials of cases of torture and ill-treatment.

Among other things, the Public Defender spoke about the rehabilitation programmes for child victims of sexual violence. She stressed the need for the improvement of social security system and stated that social workers’s difficult working conditions, the lack of human resources and finances and other problems created critical situation and need to be immediately solved.

Nino Lomjaria welcomed the fact that more and more recommendations are reflected in the parliamentary decree each year. She emphasized the success achieved through close cooperation with the Ministry of Internal Affairs. According to her, the Public Defender's Office plans to cooperate with the agencies that most frequently become the addressees of the Public Defender's recommendations, including the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Health and the Prosecutor's Office.

The Public Defender expressed satisfaction that the recommendations intended for the Parliament were also reflected in the parliamentary decree of 19 July 2018, although, unfortunately, it was not possible to duly discuss the implementation of the recommendations with the Parliament.