Deputy Minister of Justice, Tornike Cheishvili presented today at the committee hearing the planned changes to the penal legislation. The legislative initiative aims to codify the legislation in the field of penal law.

The Penitentiary Code will improve the working conditions of the employees of the Special Penitentiary Service and the legal status of persons in penitentiary institutions, including:

• The defendant will be granted the right to a lengthy appointment;
• All kinds of dating will become completely free;
• Except for high-risk convicts, everyone will have the right to receive higher education;
• The living conditions of accused and convicted persons will be equalized;
• All units of the penitentiary service will be given a special status, which will equalize and improve the conditions of employees;
• the circle of persons with special rank will be expanded;

In addition to the official and rank salary, the employees will receive a supplement for years of service.

At the first stage of the legislative reform, the Ministry carried out a critical analysis of the currently valid Prison Code and the Law of Georgia "on Special Penitentiary Service". Both the structure of the Code and its content were revised.

The new Penal Code was the subject of active discussion in the format of the inter-agency group under the Ministry of Justice (Parliament of Georgia, relevant ministries, State Security Service, Prosecutor's Office of Georgia, Office of the Public Defender, the Special Investigation Service) and the scientific-consultative council.