Court Cancels 12-Hour Limit on Primary Detention of Suspects

(Tbilisi, January 29, 2003. Civil Georgia) – Georgian Constitutional Court ruled positively today on the appeal of the Public Defender and several human rights advocacy NGOs to amend the criminal procedure code and cancel the 12-hour limit on primary detention of suspects.

During these 12 hours, according to the current criminal procedure code, the suspect can be kept incommunicado, without the right to contact the relatives or the lawyer.

The human rights advocacy NGOs claim majority of human rights abuse by the police officials occurs during this period.

According to the Constitutional Court’s decision the Parliament should amend the existing criminal procedure code by May 1.

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