NGOs Offer State to Cooperate in Prevention of Torture

NGOs Offer State to Cooperate in Prevention of Torture

Tbilisi, 18.07.2006, ‘Media News’ – The initiative group against Torture had a meeting in ‘Courtyard Marriot’ today. More then 15 national and international NGOs will be involved in creating and developing State mechanism against torture.

GYLA, HRIDC, Georgian Committee against Torture, Liberty Institute, Commissions of Batumi, Kutaisi and Zugdidi jails, National Network against Violence, Global Initiative in Psychiatry and other organizations form the initiative group.

Non-governmental sector offers State to cooperate in prevention of torture in Georgia. “We will suggest state successful mechanism for the prevention of torture. Georgian government took responsibility to create several mechanisms against torture. Unfortunately, there is not a big practice of creating these mechanisms in the world. The most enhanced models are the mechanism created by Ombudsman’s Office and by the Coalition of Human Rights NGOs. The system has started to develop in Georgia now and the State should not make decisions without society. The mechanisms that do not coincide with international standards should not be created”, declared Zurab Burduli, the executive director of GYLA.

“One of the main priorities of the Ombudsman’s Office is fight against torture. Several mechanisms should be created to support the rights of prisoners, mentally disabled people and orphans”, stated the head of Monitoring and Investigation Department of the Ombudsman’s Office Giga Giorgadze.