Procedure Code Amendments to Reduce Pre-Trial Custody

A group of parliamentarians intend to propose amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code, envisaging reduction of pre-trial custody period from the current nine to three months, MP Nika Gvaramia of the Parliamentary Committee for Legal Issues told Civil Georgia on February 21.

He said that a working group was set up on February 18, which will work out the amendments within a month. Afterwards, the draft will be submitted to the Parliament for consideration.

?These amendments will bring serious democratic elements to the activities of the law-enforcement agencies,? MP Nika Gvaramia said.

MP Giga Bokeria, who is the leading parliamentarian from the ruling National Movement party, said that the amendments are designed to root out ?harmful practice? when sentencing to pre-trial detention has become ?some kind of form of punishment.?

It is planned that the term of pre-trial detention will be three months, but in some ?extraordinary? cases it might reach a maximum of four months.