The Special Council meeting was held with a view to preventing crimes committed by law enforcement officers

The Special Council meeting was held with a view to preventing crimes committed by law enforcement officers

With the initiative of the Special Investigation Service and the support of the Council of Europe, the Special Prevention Council meeting was held to prevent crimes committed by law enforcement officers. The Prosecutor's Office of Georgia, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, and the State Security Service attended the meeting.

The Special Prevention Council's mission is to combat ill-treatment through the implementation of a unified policy and fruitful cooperation.

During the first meeting of the Special Prevention Council, the members discussed and approved the Council management rules. Subsequently, the Special Investigation Service presented the problematic issues/gaps discovered during the investigation process and are connected to the deficiencies, shortcomings and trends of law enforcement activities.

During the council meeting, the specific Police Units with the highest number of complaints received by the Special Investigation Service, were highlighted. In addition, based on the council meeting agreement, the General Inspection of the Ministry of Internal Affairs will examine the trends that could be contributing to these complaints and will report the results of their findings to the Council.

Among the issues discussed at the meeting were some security issues related to fire safety in penitentiary institutions, escorting and monitoring of prisoners. The discussion also focused on the existing suicide program within the penitentiary system, which aims to identify and monitor the accused individuals or convicts deemed to have a medium or high risk of committing suicide. The Ministry of Justice is actively working on these issues considering the SIS recommendations. This approach will contribute to addressing the problem and preventing crime.

Along with the crime prevention, one of the main functions of the Council is to facilitate ongoing investigations into cases of ill-treatment committed by law enforcement officers. At the Council meeting, the Ministry of Internal Affairs expressed the willingness to allow investigators from the Special Investigation Service to meet with arrested individuals, to protect their rights without any hindrance or permission requirements as well as enhance the investigation process. This step is a significant advancement by the state in promptly and effectively addressing cases of ill-treatment.

Furthermore, as per the decision made at the Special Prevention Council, the Ministry of Internal Affairs ensures to provide the Special Investigation Service with video recordings containing relevant evidences in the shortest period of time. This includes footage from the shoulder cameras worn by patrol inspectors and the cameras installed in police administrative buildings. This will significantly expedite the investigation and decision-making process.

The Special Prevention Council meetings will be conducted at least once a year.

The event was held with the support of CoE Project “The Human Rights Compliant Policing in Georgia” (HRCPG).

The Special Investigation Service signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Prosecutor's Office of Georgia, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the State Security Service in January 2023.

The Head of the Special Investigation Service Koka Katsitadze, the Head of the Procedural Management Department of the Special Investigation Service of the General Prosecutor's Office Amiran Guluashvili, the Deputy Minister of Justice Tornike Cheishvili, the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Aleksandre Darakhvelidze and the Deputy Head of State Security Service Shengeli Fitskhelauri attended the meeting of the Council.