Human Rights Center signed memorandum with Public Defender

Today, Human Rights Center signed cooperation memorandum with the Public Defender of Georgia. 

The purpose of the memorandum is to promote the survey of Human Rights Center into the new rule of witness interrogation, which was introduced as a new amendment in the Criminal Code of Georgia on February 20, 2016. Purpose of the new provision is to protect witness’ rights and prevent oppression and inappropriate treatment of witnesses in the investigative bodies. 

Human Rights Center commenced the project New Rule of Witness Interrogation in Georgia on August 10 with financial support of the Open Society Georgia Foundation. The project aims to support transparent and effective functioning of the new rule of witness interrogation. 

Human Rights Center’s research will reveal positive and negative sides of the new rule of witness interrogation. Cooperation with the Public Defender’s Office will contribute to the protection of witnesses’ rights and effective implementation of the research. 

Human Rights Center will elaborate recommendations about the revealed problems. The recommendations will be advocated in the Parliament of Georgia, the Ministry of Justice, the President’s administration and other target groups. The Coalition of NGOs for Independent and Transparent Judi iary will take active part in the process. 

On February 20, new rule of witness interrogation went in force, which implies compulsory interrogation of witness in front of a magistrate judge. The state did not consider critical remarks of NGOs and adopted the witness interrogation rule with numerous miscarriages. 

Human Rights Center