Bulletin, Periodic Edition – July-August 2016
The Public Defender of Georgia presented the information bulletin of July and August, which reviews important events of this period. The bulletin includes the Public Defender’s amicus curiae brief regarding the so-called cables case; the Public Defender’s recommendation on objective, quick and thorough investigation of the beating of Beka Bekauri who stands accused of terrorism and the suicide of Demur Sturua; the Public Defender’s position on the repressive police activities against drug crime that is based on the violation of human rights.
The document negatively assesses the release of video footage showing torture and degrading treatment on the Internet and the Government’s attitude to the cases of gender-based violence against women.
In the bulletin you can find information about the successful cases, where violated human rights were restored by the efforts of the Public Defender's Office; among them were a surgery treatment of a convict, release of a seriously diseased convict, involvement of a prisoner in the hepatitis C program, movement of a prisoner suffering from acute form of asthma from a close penitentiary facility to a semi-open facility; one of the citizens got back his money paid for bail; an investigation was launched by the Public Defender's proposal into the fact of systemic violence and threats for refusing partner relationship.
The bulletin reviews public debates, where representatives of the Public Defender’s Office, the Government and non-governmental organizations discussed the challenges of the homeless, eco-migrants and socially vulnerable population.
The bulletin offers information about the Public Defender's statements, recommendations, monitoring results and statistical data of applications submitted to the Public Defender's Office. Namely, 1535 applications were submitted in July-August, 1273 out of which were considered as admissible and the Public Defender's Office started to study them; most of the applications (377) concerned conditions of imprisonment. Representatives of the Department of Criminal Justice carried out 48 visits to 11 closed facilities and talked with 244 prisoners, while the Department of Prevention and Monitoring checked 23 police divisions and 12 temporary detention centers.
The bulletin also provides information about meetings, events, special reports and staff changes.
