The Special Investigation Service opened a new regional office in Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti

The Special Investigation Service opened a new regional office in Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti

The process of strengthening and institutional expansion of the Special Investigation Service is actively continuing. In order to ensure the geographical accessibility of effective investigation, a new office opened in Zugdidi (N58 Kostava St.) in the Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region.

The Head of the Special Investigation Service, Koka Katsitadze, visited a new office together with his deputies and introduced a work process on the place.

Since its creation, one of the main challenges of the Special Investigation Service was the establishment of regional offices. Within a few months of the implementation of its mandate, with the active support of the Government of Georgia, the Service managed and opened Regional Offices in Telavi and Zugdidi.

The infrastructure of the new regional office fully complies with modern standards and is accessible for persons with disabilities and is equipped with all the necessary infrastructure for the investigation body, including interrogation and identification rooms and a child-friendly juvenile room. The office will also be equipped with teleconference systems.

The new regional office will allow the investigators of the Special Investigation Service to respond timely, conduct an objective and effective investigation of the cases of ill-treatment committed by law enforcement officers as well as disclosure of secrets of personal life, unlawful interference with the journalist’s professional activities and crimes against human rights and freedom in Samegrelo and Zemo Svaneti region.

The regional office of the Special Investigation Service was staffed with experienced and professional personnel selected through an open competition. In order to strengthen the new office, the service is conducting an open competition for the selection of investigators, operative employees, and interns.

Within the framework of the institutional strengthening reform, after the establishment of new offices, The Special Investigation Service has already been represented in Tbilisi, Kutaisi, Batumi, Telavi and Zugdidi. Each investigative unit serves citizens 24/7 and provides timely responses to the reports received through the service hotline (199) and other sources of communication.

Taking into account the increased jurisdiction and the specificity of crimes, in order to conduct a number of investigative activities promptly with the appropriate standard, the Service continues to add new offices in different regions of Georgia. In the nearest future, it is planned to open regional offices in Rustavi and Gori.