The Public Defender of Georgia
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2014 The Public Defender of Georgia www.ombudsman.ge 1 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PUBLIC DEFENDER OF GEORGIA, 2014 This publication has been produced with the assistance of the European Union. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of the author and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union. EUropEan Union 2 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PUBLIC DEFENDER OF GeorgIA THE SITUATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS IN GEORGIA 2014 2014 www.ombudsman.ge www.ombudsman.ge 3 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PUBLIC DEFENDER OF GEORGIA, 2014 OFFICE OF PUBLIC DEFENDER OF GEORGIA 6, ramishvili str, 0179, Tbilisi, Georgia Tel: +995 32 2913814; +995 32 2913815 Fax: +995 32 2913841 E-mail: [email protected] 4 CONTENTS INTRODUCTION.............................................................................................................................................9 SITUATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN CLOSED FACILITIES (REPORT OF THE NATIONAL PREVENTIVE MECHANISM) ...............................................................15 INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................................15 SITUATION IN PENITENTIARY INSTITUTIONS ..............................................................................16 SITUATION IN THE AGENCIES UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE MINISTRY OF INTERIOR OF GEORGIA .....................................................................................126 ROTECTION OF MIGRANTS FROM ILL-TREATMENT ....................................................................136 PROTECTION OF THE RIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES IN PENITENTIARY INSTITUTIONS, IN FACILITIES OF VOLUNTARY AND REQUIRED MENTAL HEALTH - ANALYSIS OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF RECOMMENDATIONS ........................141 RIGHTS OF THE CHILD IN SMALL GROUP HOMES ........................................................................155 AMNESTY; RELEASING LIFE PRISONERS ON PAROLE ........................................................................172 FAILURE TO APPLY THE LAW OF GEORGIA ON AMNESTY DATED 28 DECEMBER 2012 ........173 A MECHANISM ENVISAGED BY THE AMNESTY LAW OF 28 DECEMBER 2012 FOR RELEASING PERSONS WITH A POLITICAL PRISONER STATUS FROM PUNISHMENT ..........175 RULES OF RELEASING LIFE PRISONERS FROM THEIR SENTENCE OR ALTERING THE LIFE SENTENCE; APPLICATION OF THE AMNESTY LAW OF 28 DECEMBER 2012 TO LIFE PRISONERS .....................................................................................177 FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH A LAWFUL DEMAND OF THE PUBLIC DEFENDER ..........................179 ADMINISTRATIVE OFFENSE CASES INVOLVING INCOMPLIANCE WITH A PUBLIC DEFENDER’S LAWFUL DEMAND ......................................................................................181 MEMBERS OF THE ANTI-CORRUPTION DEPARTMENT AND THE CENTER FOR PECIAL AND EMERGENCY MEASURES OF THE INTERIOR MINISTRY HINDERING THE WORK OF THE PUBLIC DEFENDER’S TRUSTEES ..................................................................182 THE RIGHT TO LIFE .....................................................................................................................................184 PROHIBITION OF TORTURE, INHUMAN AND DEGRADING TREATMENT OR PUNISHMENT .193 2014 CASES OF ILL-TREATMENT POSSIBLY ADMINISTERED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS AND PENITENTIARY STAFF .............................................................................................195 POSITIVE OBLIGATION OF STATES IN THE CONTEXT OF EXTRADITION .............................201 INDEPENDENT, IMPARTIAL AND EFFECTIVE INVESTIGATION .....................................................204 INVESTIGATIONAL JURISDICTION AND SHORTCOMINGS PREVENTING ADHERENCE TO THE INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION PRINCIPLE ......................................207 THE NEED FOR AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION AUTHORITY ........................................211 LEGAL RIGHTS OF VICTIMS IN CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS ..........................................................213 THE RIGHT TO LIBERTY AND SECURITY ...............................................................................................220 USE OF INTERIM MEASURES AND REASONING OF COURT DECISIONS ..................................220 www.ombudsman.ge 5 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PUBLIC DEFENDER OF GEORGIA, 2014 VIOLATIONS OF THE CRIMINAL PROCEDURE CODE AT THE TIME OF ARRESTS ...............224 RIGHT TO A FAIR TRIAL ...............................................................................................................................229 PLEA BARGAINING-RELATED CHANGES ..........................................................................................232 PROCRASTINATED JUDICIAL REVIEW ...............................................................................................236 EQUALITY OF ARMS AND ADVERSARIAL PROCEEDINGS .............................................................239 PRESUMPTION OF INNOCENCE .........................................................................................................243 THE RIGHT TO PRIVACY AND INVIOLABILITY OF FAMILY LIFE .....................................................251 UNDERCOVER INVESTIGATIVE MEASURES .....................................................................................253 INCOMPLETE EXAMINATION OF THE LEGALITY OF INVESTIGATIVE/CRIMINAL INTELLIGENCE MEASURES BY COURTS ...........................................................................................257 JUDICIAL CONTROL OVER INVESTIGATIVE MEASURES CONDUCTED IN THE MODE OF URGENT NECESSITY .................................................................................................258 FREEDOM OF THOUGHT, CONSCIENCE AND RELIGION ..................................................................263 THE GOVERNMENTAL ACTION PLAN FOR THE PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS FOR 2014-2015 .......................................................................................................265 RELIGIOUS NEUTRALITY IN CIVIL SERVICE ...................................................................................268 PROBLEMS FACED BY MUSLIMS ..........................................................................................................269 ACTIONS CARRIED OUT AGAINST JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES .........................................................273 PROTECTION OF THE RIGHTS AND CIVIL INTEGRATION OF NATIONAL MINORITIES ..........280 NATIONAL MINORITIES’ INVOLVEMENT AND PARTICIPATION IN THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESSAND IN THE EVENTS TAKING PLACE IN THE COUNTRY .....282 EDUCATION SYSTEM; PROTECTION AND INTEGRATION OF NATIONAL MINORITIE .......283 CULTURAL IDENTITY OF NATIONAL MINORITIES .......................................................................285 MEDIA AND ACCESS TO INFORMATION IN REGIONS DENSELY POPULATED BY NATIONAL MINORITIES .........................................................................................287 FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION ........................................................................................................................289 MEDIA ENVIRONMENT .........................................................................................................................292 LIMITS OF POLITICIANS’ FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION ..................................................................296 USE OF HATE LANGUAGE BY PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND CIVIL SERVANTS .................................298 FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ..............................................................................................................300 THE RIGHT TO ASSEMBLY AND MANIFESTATION ..............................................................................304 RIGHT TO NON-DISCRIMINATION ...........................................................................................................309 CASES INVOLVING DISCRIMINATION ................................................................................................310 NORMS AND BARRIERS TO THE ELIMINATION OF DISCRIMINATION ...................................312 FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT .........................................................................................................................315 PROPERTY RIGHTS ........................................................................................................................................318 PROPERTY RIGHTS IN CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS .........................................................................323 RIGHT TO ELECTION ...................................................................................................................................327 LOCAL ELECTIONS ..................................................................................................................................327 THE RIGHT TO THE PROTECTION OF CULTURAL HERITAGE .......................................................331 CASE OF SAKDRISI-KACHAGIANI ANCIENT GOLD MINE .............................................................333 ONI REGIONAL HISTORIC MUSEUM .................................................................................................335 6 LABOR RIGHTS ...............................................................................................................................................337 THE STATE POLICY FOR THE FORMATION OF LABOR MARKET IN GEORGIA ......................340 LABOR RIGHTS IN PUBLIC SERVICES .................................................................................................342 THE RIGHT TO SAFE AND HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT .......................................................................350