On June 15-16, at the Lopota Hotel Complex, there is held a meeting between the representatives of the Georgian Legal Aid Service (LAS) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UN OHCHR) on the provision of effective legal assistance to victims of torture.
The meeting participants spoke comprehensively and in a detailed way about the problems related to the definition of torture in Georgia as well as the needs of the Legal Aid Service in terms of providing effective legal assistance to victims of torture.
The meeting attendants were addressed by Razhden Kuprashvili, Director of the Legal Aid Service, and Besarion Bokhashvili, UN OHCHR Human Rights Officer. Besarion Bokhashvili pointed out the importance of the Legal Aid Service functioning in the country, the significance of constantly raising the awareness of the lawyers of the Legal Aid Service and strengthening the capacities of providing more effective assistance to those who claim to be victims of torture, inhuman or dishonoring treatment or punishment.
Razhden Kuprashvili: " On a daily basis public attorneys have to protect beneficiaries – the accused or the victims of various crimes, among those there are victims of torture. Consequently, it is very important for the service to have complete and comprehensive information on legal issues related to torture and inhuman treatment, international acts and the recent changes."
" The UN OHCHR Georgia has been strengthening the capacity of institutions and lawyers in the country to combat ill-treatment for a number of years already. In addition to many important issues, we also shared with the participants the jurisprudence and case law established by the UN and Council of Europe supervisory bodies, regarding torture along with other kinds of ill-treatment, which, we believe, will enable the participants to better consult stakeholders and, if necessary, act as legal representatives in administrative and judicial bodies,” said Besarion Bokhashvili.
The meeting was held within the framework of the joint program of the European Union (EU) and the United Nations (UN) "Human Rights for All - Phase Two". The aim of the initiative is to protect the rights of all citizens and social groups living in Georgia in accordance with the country's constitution, legislation, and international obligations.