Georgian Justice Minister, US Prisons Bureau heads discuss penitentiary reforms
Bregadze expressed his gratitude to the US for its contribution to the reform process and expressed hope the existing cooperation would be further deepened, before the sides agreed to “greatly strengthen” the ties. Photo: Ministry of Justice
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Ongoing reforms in Georgia’s penitentiary system, including efforts aimed at ensuring accessible education and digital university for inmates, were discussed on Wednesday in a meeting between the country’s Justice Minister Rati Bregadze and heads of the United States Federal Bureau of Prisons.
The Ministry cited Bregadze as saying protection of human rights and implementation of “high-level standards” in prisons was the Government’s “priority”, and noting the country’s penitentiary system was “committed” to a balance between security and effective rehabilitation and re-socialisation programmes.
Minister of Justice of ???????? met with the Heads of the US Federal Bureau of Prisons.
— Justice Ministry GEO (@Justice_geo) December 13, 2023
Rati Bregadze spoke about the ongoing reforms in the penitentiary system at a meeting in Washington.
More info: https://t.co/2wlCIRzedY pic.twitter.com/I7f1DZMgqj
He also pointed out completed reforms, including the opening of Public Service Hall venues in penitentiary institutions to enable convicts and employees to receive services, and Re-Market, an online store selling items handcrafted by prisoners.
The Minister also noted the importance of educational and practical training courses provided by the Training Centre of Justice for professional development of penitentiary employees.
Bregadze expressed his gratitude to the US for its contribution to the reform process and expressed hope the existing cooperation would be further deepened, before the sides agreed to “greatly strengthen” the ties.
Georgian Justice Minister Rati Bregadze on Monday unveiled a new “small-sized, highest European-standard” penitentiary facility designed for 700 convicts in the western Georgian town of Laituri in Guria region.
The international Conference on Innovations in the Rehabilitation and Resocialisation Process of Inmates and Probationers, hosted for the first time in Tbilisi, on Thursday adopted a 12-point declaration that will be used for rehabilitation of prisoners and probationers, the Georgian Justice Ministry said.
Convicts and employees of penitentiary institutions across Georgia will receive public services at their facilities in a project promoted as a “Georgian innovation” by the Justice Ministry.
Convicts and employees of the Penitentiary Institution No.16 in the city of Rustavi received diplomas for successfully passing an international examination in French language following a course taught by a prisoner, the Special Penitentiary Service of Georgia said on Monday.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Monday highlighted the decreasing number of cases filed against conditions in the country’s penitentiary system in the European Court of Human Rights, in his end-of-year report summarising the work of his Government.
Georgian Justice Minister Rati Bregadze on Tuesday told Imedi TV the implementation of the new penitentiary code was “one of the great achievements of modern Georgia”.
Georgia’s Justice Ministry has received 10 devices providing electronic control and services of probationers and 50 pieces of monitoring tags for those under house arrest from the United States Embassy.