The News in Brief
Friday, April 7
Execution of ECHR judgments in 2016: key findings on Georgia
The Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers has published its annual report for 2016 on the execution of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) today.
In accordance with the European Convention on Human Rights, the Committee of Ministers is responsible for supervising the execution of the court’s judgments by the states concerned.
Today’s annual report is an in-depth look at the current state of the execution process, providing statistics and examples for 2016 as well as longer-term trends.
Below are some of the key findings of the report about Georgia.
Among the examples of achievements the report listed:
• Abolition of the rule that no specific detention orders are required once the investigating authorities have sent the case files to trial
• Introduction of improvement of possibility to obtain compensation for illegal detention and/or abolition of the obligation to prove one’s innocence in order to receive compensation for detention on remand if acquitted
• Improvement of health care for prisoners, including special problems such as HIV or mental health problems
• Access to courts through reforms of court fees and rules on legal representation and abolition of requirements of regular residence in the country to obtain legal aid
• Due enforcement of domestic judicial decisions, in particular against the State or State owned companies (including the setting up of a central state fund to honor such judgments)
• Adoption of a precise legal framework for peaceful assemblies
• Submission of property and income declaration no longer a prerequisite for registration for parliamentary elections
In 2016 Georgia had seven new cases registered at the ECHR. This number was a two-fold decrease as compared with 2015 when this number was 15. Meanwhile the countries with the highest number of new cases registered in 2016 were Russia (283), Romania (151), Greece (121), Turkey (114) and Ukraine (99).
Six cases related to Georgia were closed in 2016 – the same as in 2015. The countries that closed the highest number of cases during 2016 were Turkey (274), Slovenia (265), Russia (261), Romania (214) and Poland (170).
Georgia has 39 pending cases while in 2015 it had 38. The countries with the highest number of cases pending at the end of 2016 were Italy (2,350), Russia (1,573), Turkey (1,430) and Ukraine (1,147).
For Georgia the length of execution of cases under enhanced supervision was 3.3 years in 2016. This number was slightly lower than average, which is 4.7 years.
The ECHR awarded ˆ221,000 (the amount nominally increased in comparison to 2015 - ˆ184,652) in "just satisfaction” to applicants in cases concerning Georgia in 2016. The highest figures in this category was shown by Turkey ˆ20,473,112, followed by ˆ15,127,537 concerning Italy; ˆ7,380,062 concerning Russia; ˆ4,168,864 concerning Greece; and ˆ3,329,990 for Hungary.
In 2016, Georgia respected payment deadline in most cases. And it has only one case awaiting for confirmation of payment from 31 December 2016 (as compared to 5 cases in 2015). (agenda.ge)
Georgian MPs Attend Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly
Georgia’s six-member Parliamentary delegation led by Chairman Irakli Kobakhidze took part in the 136th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on April 1-5.
On the sidelines of the IPU Assembly, Georgian MPs held a number of high-level meetings with representatives of the Parliaments of Sweden, Germany, Ireland, Egypt, Canada, Brazil, Czech Republic, Romania, China, Japan, Republic of Korea, Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Kuwait, Argentina, Suriname, Morocco, Bangladesh, Ethiopia and Fiji.
The sides covered a wide range of issues at these meetings, including commercial and economic relations, cooperation in the fields of culture, education and tourism. Particular emphasis was drawn to Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“We have received full support to Georgia’s territorial integrity from all parliamentary delegations we have met. We are also informing them on the process of democratic reforms in Georgia and are discussing the prospects of future cooperation,” the Parliament’s Foreign Relations Committee Chair Sopo Katsarava noted on April 3.
“I would like to underline that IPU is a very useful format for strengthening parliamentary diplomacy,” she added.
IPU is the international organization of Parliaments, which provides a forum for worldwide parliamentary dialogue. There are currently 171 member parliaments (including the Parliament of Georgia) and 11 associate members of the Inter-Parliamentary Union. (civil.ge)
President of Georgia: Cooperation Between Georgia and NATO in Black Sea Security Framework is Crucial for Region
As a part of the NATO week activities, the President of Georgia, H.E. Giorgi Margvelashvili, has taken part in the event, organized by NATO and the EU informative centers. This event is being held in Tbilisi for the tenth time.
The President has highlighted the importance of NATO, and noted that the Georgian nation and political leadership are united under the values of NATO, and through this unity Georgian soldiers protect stability and peace in various parts of the world.
The President thanked Georgian soldiers for their service and their parents for sending their offspring to peacekeeping missions.
“The Georgia-NATO partnership is based on important cooperation carried out between the armed forces of Georgia and NATO, but not only this; Georgia and NATO are also linked together by the political partnership. This partnership is related to the common values and aspirations. I would like to underscore a recently-initiated, important framework of cooperation between Georgia and NATO, the Black Sea framework.
“Security and safety in the Black Sea region is important not only for NATO member countries and Georgia, but also for the entire region, in order to ensure the safe and promising regional cooperation between Asia and Europe.
“In this regard we strengthen our partnership and relations with those countries, which significantly raise the topic of Georgia in international discussions. My agenda of the last week was almost entirely oriented around discussing these issues.
“I would like to highlight the visit of the President of the Republic of Latvia to Georgia, as a part of which we have obviously stressed the importance of Georgia’s prospective European and Euro-Atlantic integration; also, my visit to the Republic of Lithuania, during which we have unanimously agreed that the President of Lithuania will raise the topic of Georgia in all Euro-Atlantic fora.
“I strongly believe that NATO week will be another step forward in terms of further reinforcing our public awareness and political process,” stated the President.
The meeting was also attended by the Head of the Administration of the President of Georgia, Mr. Giorgi Abashishvili, the Secretary of the National Security Council Mr. Davit Rakviashvili, advisors to the President, executive authorities, and the diplomatic corps. (President’s Administration)
The Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers has published its annual report for 2016 on the execution of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) today.
In accordance with the European Convention on Human Rights, the Committee of Ministers is responsible for supervising the execution of the court’s judgments by the states concerned.
Today’s annual report is an in-depth look at the current state of the execution process, providing statistics and examples for 2016 as well as longer-term trends.
Below are some of the key findings of the report about Georgia.
Among the examples of achievements the report listed:
• Abolition of the rule that no specific detention orders are required once the investigating authorities have sent the case files to trial
• Introduction of improvement of possibility to obtain compensation for illegal detention and/or abolition of the obligation to prove one’s innocence in order to receive compensation for detention on remand if acquitted
• Improvement of health care for prisoners, including special problems such as HIV or mental health problems
• Access to courts through reforms of court fees and rules on legal representation and abolition of requirements of regular residence in the country to obtain legal aid
• Due enforcement of domestic judicial decisions, in particular against the State or State owned companies (including the setting up of a central state fund to honor such judgments)
• Adoption of a precise legal framework for peaceful assemblies
• Submission of property and income declaration no longer a prerequisite for registration for parliamentary elections
In 2016 Georgia had seven new cases registered at the ECHR. This number was a two-fold decrease as compared with 2015 when this number was 15. Meanwhile the countries with the highest number of new cases registered in 2016 were Russia (283), Romania (151), Greece (121), Turkey (114) and Ukraine (99).
Six cases related to Georgia were closed in 2016 – the same as in 2015. The countries that closed the highest number of cases during 2016 were Turkey (274), Slovenia (265), Russia (261), Romania (214) and Poland (170).
Georgia has 39 pending cases while in 2015 it had 38. The countries with the highest number of cases pending at the end of 2016 were Italy (2,350), Russia (1,573), Turkey (1,430) and Ukraine (1,147).
For Georgia the length of execution of cases under enhanced supervision was 3.3 years in 2016. This number was slightly lower than average, which is 4.7 years.
The ECHR awarded ˆ221,000 (the amount nominally increased in comparison to 2015 - ˆ184,652) in "just satisfaction” to applicants in cases concerning Georgia in 2016. The highest figures in this category was shown by Turkey ˆ20,473,112, followed by ˆ15,127,537 concerning Italy; ˆ7,380,062 concerning Russia; ˆ4,168,864 concerning Greece; and ˆ3,329,990 for Hungary.
In 2016, Georgia respected payment deadline in most cases. And it has only one case awaiting for confirmation of payment from 31 December 2016 (as compared to 5 cases in 2015). (agenda.ge)
Georgian MPs Attend Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly
Georgia’s six-member Parliamentary delegation led by Chairman Irakli Kobakhidze took part in the 136th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on April 1-5.
On the sidelines of the IPU Assembly, Georgian MPs held a number of high-level meetings with representatives of the Parliaments of Sweden, Germany, Ireland, Egypt, Canada, Brazil, Czech Republic, Romania, China, Japan, Republic of Korea, Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Kuwait, Argentina, Suriname, Morocco, Bangladesh, Ethiopia and Fiji.
The sides covered a wide range of issues at these meetings, including commercial and economic relations, cooperation in the fields of culture, education and tourism. Particular emphasis was drawn to Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“We have received full support to Georgia’s territorial integrity from all parliamentary delegations we have met. We are also informing them on the process of democratic reforms in Georgia and are discussing the prospects of future cooperation,” the Parliament’s Foreign Relations Committee Chair Sopo Katsarava noted on April 3.
“I would like to underline that IPU is a very useful format for strengthening parliamentary diplomacy,” she added.
IPU is the international organization of Parliaments, which provides a forum for worldwide parliamentary dialogue. There are currently 171 member parliaments (including the Parliament of Georgia) and 11 associate members of the Inter-Parliamentary Union. (civil.ge)
President of Georgia: Cooperation Between Georgia and NATO in Black Sea Security Framework is Crucial for Region
As a part of the NATO week activities, the President of Georgia, H.E. Giorgi Margvelashvili, has taken part in the event, organized by NATO and the EU informative centers. This event is being held in Tbilisi for the tenth time.
The President has highlighted the importance of NATO, and noted that the Georgian nation and political leadership are united under the values of NATO, and through this unity Georgian soldiers protect stability and peace in various parts of the world.
The President thanked Georgian soldiers for their service and their parents for sending their offspring to peacekeeping missions.
“The Georgia-NATO partnership is based on important cooperation carried out between the armed forces of Georgia and NATO, but not only this; Georgia and NATO are also linked together by the political partnership. This partnership is related to the common values and aspirations. I would like to underscore a recently-initiated, important framework of cooperation between Georgia and NATO, the Black Sea framework.
“Security and safety in the Black Sea region is important not only for NATO member countries and Georgia, but also for the entire region, in order to ensure the safe and promising regional cooperation between Asia and Europe.
“In this regard we strengthen our partnership and relations with those countries, which significantly raise the topic of Georgia in international discussions. My agenda of the last week was almost entirely oriented around discussing these issues.
“I would like to highlight the visit of the President of the Republic of Latvia to Georgia, as a part of which we have obviously stressed the importance of Georgia’s prospective European and Euro-Atlantic integration; also, my visit to the Republic of Lithuania, during which we have unanimously agreed that the President of Lithuania will raise the topic of Georgia in all Euro-Atlantic fora.
“I strongly believe that NATO week will be another step forward in terms of further reinforcing our public awareness and political process,” stated the President.
The meeting was also attended by the Head of the Administration of the President of Georgia, Mr. Giorgi Abashishvili, the Secretary of the National Security Council Mr. Davit Rakviashvili, advisors to the President, executive authorities, and the diplomatic corps. (President’s Administration)