The thematic report of the Public Defender reflects and assesses the state of mental health care for adult defendants and convicts with mental health problems in Georgia.

In 2024, the National Preventive Mechanism of the Public Defender studied the clinical and institutional aspects of mental health care in the criminal justice system. The report was prepared with the financial assistance of the European Union and with the involvement of an international expert - a forensic psychiatrist.

For the purposes of the report, the international expert and the Special Preventive Group of the Public Defender of Georgia carried out preventive visits to Penitentiary Institutions Nos. 2 and 18, the Department of Psychiatric Forensics at L. Samkharauli National Forensics Bureau, as well as the National Mental Health Center, where defendants and convicts transferred from penitentiary institutions, as well as persons undergoing compulsory psychiatric treatment, are placed.

The thematic report assesses the capacity of the above-mentioned institutions to provide appropriate psychiatric care to persons with mental health problems and identifies the challenges that arise in the process of providing psychiatric care.

The report is attached by recommendations intended for specific institutions, as well as systemic and multi-component recommendations.