On April 25, the Ministry of Justice received notification from the European Court of Human Rights regarding the withdrawal of an appeal by Mikheil Saakashvili. Accompanying the notification was a letter from Saakashvili's legal representative, dated April 18, citing his client's decision to withdraw the appeal. Notably, the letter mentions that Saakashvili's current health condition is not deemed life-threatening.

The European Court has requested the Ministry of Justice to provide comments by May 10, if any.

Today, we have submitted a corresponding response, in which we emphasize that Saakashvili's health condition is not considered life-threatening. This was confirmed by the Strasbourg court itself on May 11, 2023, when Saakashvili's request for transfer to Poland, specifically to a clinic in Warsaw for treatment, was denied. Additionally, we have requested the European Court of Human Rights to inform us of the case's removal from the list of pending cases.

During the meeting with Otkurbek Dzhamshitov, Rati Bregadze emphasized the importance of deepening mutual cooperation and sharing experiences between the two countries in the realm of justice enforcement.

The Minister highlighted that one of the principal priorities of the Ministry of Justice is bolstering international cooperation. The agency actively engages with partner states to facilitate mutual legal assistance in both civil and criminal law matters, including extradition and the transfer of convicted individuals and aspects of serving their sentences.

Another crucial priority is advancing a penitentiary system that adheres to modern standards and offering alternative sentencing options, along with rehabilitation programs for convicts and probationers to support their re-socialization.

Moreover, Rati Bregadze underscored the ongoing reforms spearheaded by the Ministry of Justice, particularly in the realms of digitalization and cybersecurity.

Discussions at the meeting also revolved around the potential for knowledge exchange between the Ministry of Justice of Georgia and Kyrgyzstan, encompassing law enforcement practices, service accessibility, and digital innovations.

As part of his visit to Georgia, the Prosecutor General of Kyrgyzstan will also meet with the leadership of the Probation Agency and gain insights into the Georgian technological innovation ProbBox, which has garnered recognition from the European Probation Confederation (CEP) as a noteworthy European-scale innovation. The meeting was attended by Deputy Minister of Justice, Beka Dzamashvili and Head of International Relations and Legal Cooperation Department, Ketevan Sarajishvili.

Beka Dzamashvili engaged in discussions with British legal experts aimed at bolstering sectoral collaboration between Georgia and the United Kingdom.

The Georgian party underscored the significance of knowledge exchange with Britain, particularly in areas such as refining the arbitration framework, facilitating state representation in foreign courts and arbitrations, and enhancing legal expertise in interpreting legal acts, statutes, international treaties, and agreements.

Both sides highlighted the importance of promoting English law in Georgia and enhancing familiarity with case law among legal practitioners.

The meeting was also attended by Head of the International Relations and Legal Cooperation Department of the Ministry of Justice, Keti Sarajishvili and Executive Director of the Bar Association, Giorgi Chekhani.

The Training Center of Justice unveiled this free course, aimed at all individuals interested in mastering Georgian and fostering its wider use.

Deputy Minister of Justice, Tornike Cheishvili, underscored the project's significance, particularly for diaspora members and ethnic minorities, during his presentation.

"At the Ministry of Justice, ensuring accessible state services is a top priority. Thus, enabling citizens to access these services without language barriers is crucial. That's why we've developed the first-ever online Georgian language course and a corresponding web platform at the Training Center of Justice. This initiative will empower citizens to learn Georgian, facilitating smoother communication when accessing services," Deputy Minister Cheishvili explained.

The Georgian language online course, spearheaded by the Training Center of Justice, received financial support from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the German government. The Digital Governance Agency of the Ministry of Justice has crafted an online training platform accessible through https://eacademy.tcj.gov.ge/, offering course content in English, Armenian, Azerbaijani, and Ukrainian.

Comprising 20 comprehensive lessons, the course caters specifically to non-Georgian speakers. Upon completion, participants receive a certificate. The project's beneficiaries encompass:

• Members of Georgian diasporas worldwide
• Ethnic minorities within Georgia
• Asylum seekers in Georgia
• Individuals holding refugee or humanitarian status
• Those aspiring to attain Georgian citizenship
• Foreign nationals with a keen interest in Georgian culture

The event was attended by the Deputy Ministers of Justice; representatives of the executive government; Representatives of UNDP, State Language Department, German Embassy in Georgia, the Training Center of Justice and other invited guests.