UN Demands Ratification of Optional Protocol to the UN Convention Against Torture
Tbilisi.02.22.05.Media News. Nino Burdjanadze, Georgia’s Parliamentary Chairperson, recently played host to Manfred Nowak, Special Rapporteur on Torture from the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Saphir Saied, UN Human Rights Officer and Lans Clerk, UN Representative in Georgia also attended the meeting.
Following the meeting, Elene Tevdoradze, Chairperson of the Human Rights Committee of the Georgian Parliament, stated that the guests requested that parliament ratify the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture, and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment.
According to Tevdoradze, a special body will be established on the basis of the Optional Protocol to monitor instances of torture in pre-detention cells. The members of this body will enjoy special immunity.
Burdjanadze has reportedly given instructions to Kote Gabashvili, Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee of the Georgian Parliament to begin looking into the procedural issues involved, in order to enable parliament to ratify the Optional Protocol in the near future.