The Chief Prosecutor's Office of Georgia took into account the Public Defender’s proposals sent on 28 December 2016 and launched investigations into alleged violations of juveniles’ human rights.

One case concerned early marriage of a 15-year-old girl and alleged violence committed against her. The Public Defender's Office started to study the case on the basis of an anonymous notification, according to which, 15-year-old T.K. got married at an early age. The study of the case revealed the neglect of the parents and the risk of violation of the girl's sexual freedom and inviolability.

Unfortunately, the state agencies only formally studied the alleged violation of the juvenile’s human rights this time too and did not take measures for the identification of violence and protection of the juvenile from the repeated violence.

In addition, an investigation was launched into an alleged trafficking case, according to which, a young girl had been living in a non-biological family from an early age, where she had to do household chores and had allegedly been the victim of sexual exploitation.

Unfortunately, until the involvement of the Public Defender's Office, the Territorial Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Social Service Agency had only superficially studied the case and had missed the signs of alleged abuse and sexual exploitation.

The Public Defender welcomes the timely response of the Chief Prosecutor's Office, which will promote prevention of similar crimes in the future.