The European Union launched its first ever ‘Rule of Law’ mission in Georgia on July 16 to help the country in reforming its criminal justice system.
A group of eight civilian experts from the EU member states will be co-located in key-positions with the Supreme Court, the General Prosecutor and relevant ministries. Its duration will initially be one year, with the possibility of an extension.
Ms. Sylvie Pantz of France leads the ‘Rule of Law’ mission to Georgia.
“It [the mission] is designed to support the Georgian authorities in addressing urgent challenges in the criminal justice system, assisting the Georgian government in developing a co-ordinated overall approach to the reform process, in a way that fully complements current EU assistance,” the press release issued by the Council of the European Union General Secretariat reads.
The ‘Rule of Law’ mission, called EUJUST THEMIS, is the first Rule of Law mission launched by the EU in the context of the European Security and Defence Policy.
The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the Tbilisi-based Human Rights Information and Documentation Center (HRIDC) sent an open letter to Javier Solana, the EU foreign policy chief, on July 9, expressing “concern over the recent evolution of human rights in Georgia.”
“This evolution may reveal a gap between the declarations aroused by the new authorities in favor of democracy and the reality,” the open letter reads. “The increasing number of torture, inhuman and humiliating treatments” also remains matters of concern for the FIDH and the HRIDC.
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