Conclusive Meeting of the Phase 1 of the Project Improving Prisoners’ Rights – Joint Advocacy

Conclusive meeting of the phase 1 of a joint project of the Public Defender of Georgia and Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) Improving Prisoners’ Rights – Joint Advocacy  hold on May 31, 2012.

The meeting featured discussion of activities carried out under the project auspices as well as presentation of results of the monitoring of penitentiary establishments and pre-trial detention isolators. 

The joint project launched in April 2011 incorporates several key strands, including strengthening the national preventive mechanism. Three representatives of GYLA participated in the monitoring carried out by the national preventive mechanism within the frames of the noted strand of the project. The monitoring specifically focused on ill-treatment and examined the human rights situation at penitentiary establishments and pre-trial detention isolators in eastern Georgia.

Monitoring carried out by the National Preventive Mechanism in summer and autumn illustrated that ill-treatment remains a pressing issue in Georgia. Some of the problematic issues revealed included facts of ill-treatment in a number of establishments within the penitentiary system; ineffectual investigation; no access to detailed statistical information.

Although the monitoring specifically focused on ill-treatment, the team also examined issues that may be directly related to ill-treatment, including conditions of imprisonment, discipline and punishment, conditions that people with disabilities are in, personnel of establishments, admittance and accommodation of prisoners, serving punishment under a closed regime.  

In addition to strengthening the National Preventive Mechanism, the goal of the project was to advocate problems in penitentiary system, provide free legal assistance to prisoners and raise their awareness.

The phase 2 of the project Improving Prisoners’ Rights – Joint Advocacy will commence in 2012.

Representatives of international organizations, non-governmental organizations and the authorities have been invited to attend the meeting.