The Interagency Task Force for Free and Fair Elections (IATF) was established in accordance with the Election Code. Its primary aim is to prevent violations of election legislation by public servants and respond to any infractions. The commission is chaired by Minister of Justice, Rati Bregadze.

During its first session, the commission reviewed a report from the State Services Development Agency concerning the completion of the election lists. Additionally, the commission members discussed various organizational issues.

In its efforts to monitor the election environment, the IATF will examine information disseminated by the media, as well as data provided by political unions and monitoring organizations. The IATF will formulate recommendations to address identified incidents, thereby promoting a free and fair election environment.

Citizens can report issues within the IATF's jurisdiction via email at iatf@justice.gov.ge or through the hotline: (+995) 599 85 0011.

The session was chaired by Minister of Justice Rati Bregadze, with participation from IATF members including Deputy Ministers of Justice, Internal Affairs, Foreign Affairs, Finance, Defense, Regional Development and Infrastructure, Education, Science and Youth, IDPs from Occupied Territories, Labor, Health and Social Protection, as well as heads of the General Prosecutor's Office, the Special Investigation Service, the State Security Service, the City Hall of Tbilisi Municipality, the State Audit Service, and the Central Election Commission.

The IATF will operate until the Central Election Commission officially publishes the final election results.

A new manual on penal law has been developed and published as part of a winning project within the Ministry of Justice's grant program. The manual was crafted by Moris Shalikashvili, Givi Mikanadze, Zoya Khasia, and Nunu Maglagelidze.

The manual dedicates significant attention to analyzing the norms of the Penal Code, the Constitutional Court's practices in penal enforcement, and the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights.

Designed for field specialists, law students, penitentiary service employees, and interested readers, the manual aims to provide comprehensive insights into penitentiary law.

Minister of Justice Rati Bregadze, along with deputy ministers, the manual's authors, and representatives of the academic community, summarized the grant project's results.

The Minister emphasized the importance of training the next generation of system employees and lawyers in penitentiary law, focusing on the rights of the accused/convicted and penitentiary service employees.

"The manual thoroughly discusses the rights of prisoners and penitentiary institution employees, essential for the proper and effective functioning of these institutions. It also includes analyses of foreign literature, international norms, reports from the Public Defender of Georgia, and decisions from the Constitutional Court of Georgia and the European Court of Human Rights. This will help form a comprehensive view of the field for interested individuals," stated Rati Bregadze.

Meeting participants highlighted the relevance of the new penal law manual and the importance of raising awareness in the field of penal law.

The Ministry of Justice announces this grant competition annually, aiming to introduce innovative services, strengthen human rights protection, and enhance legal security. This year, the Ministry finances 17 winning projects through the grant competition, promoting civil society participation in the Ministry's activities and supporting civil initiatives.

Today, the 120th branch of the Public Service Hall opened in Batumi. Located in "Batumi Central," this new branch, Batumi Public Service Hall No. 2, will serve both the city's residents and those from surrounding settlements.

The new branch employs over 40 local staff members who will offer customers up to 500 services, maintaining the high standards for which the Public Service Hall is known. This will enhance the management and distribution of customer flows, optimizing both waiting and service times.

Deputy Minister of Justice Erekle Gvinianidze, Mayor of Batumi Archil Chikovani, and Chairperson of the Public Service Hall Lasha Lobjanidze visited the new branch. They noted that this second Batumi branch will meet the growing demand driven by the city's rapid urban development.

Expanding access to public services is a top priority for the Ministry of Justice, evidenced by the 120 Public Service Halls across Georgia. In a few weeks, the 121st branch will open in Khashuri.

This year, the Public Service Hall's geographical coverage will expand further, with new branches under construction in Chala, Zoti, Toli, Tsaishi, Shrosha, Tbilisi (Gldani), Terjola, Akhmeta, Khelvachauri, and Sagarejo.

Additionally, the innovative Mobile Public Service Hall project serves citizens living far from regional centers. In Adjara, seven Public Service Halls are in operation, and the Mobile Public Service Hall reaches 10 villages.

The Ministry of Justice, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Science, has launched a national-scale initiative to provide teachers and school personnel with the skills necessary to identify and respond to illegal or challenging behavior among minors promptly.

The primary goal of this crime prevention course is to prevent crimes by individuals under 18, thereby protecting teenagers from potential legal conflicts and ensuring the safety of society.

Through this training, teachers and relevant personnel from public and private schools will significantly enhance their role in early crime prevention and strengthen their response to incidents involving minors in coordination with the relevant agencies.

The course was officially presented today. Key speakers included the Minister of Justice, Rati Bregadze; the Minister of Education and Science, Giorgi Amilakhvari; the Adviser to the Prime Minister on human rights issues, Niko Tatulashvili; and the Head of the National Agency for Crime Prevention, Enforcement of Non-custodial Sentences, and Probation, Lado Kheladze.

The course includes the following thematic topics:

• Juvenile Justice and Juvenile Referral;
• Specifics of child development stages;
• Causes and protective factors of deviant behavior in minors;
• Role of schools in crime prevention;
• Positive discipline techniques for teachers when dealing with juveniles in conflict with the law;
• Gambling and substance addiction;
• Video game disorder in adolescents;
• Violence against children etc.

The event was attended by heads of the Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Education and Science agencies, including representatives from the Training Center of Justice and the Professional Training Center for Teachers, who will be directly involved in implementing the initiative. The course's beneficiaries, teachers from public and private schools, were also present.

The Digital University has been recognized as one of the top three innovative projects by the European Organization of Prison and Penitentiary Systems (Europris). Out of 37 projects submitted by European countries, the Digital University stood out in the annual Europris award.

This prestigious recognition was announced at the 13th annual meeting of Europris, held on June 26 in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. The event was attended by Georgian officials, including Deputy Minister of Justice Beka Dzamashvili, Head of Special Penitentiary Service Nika Tshvarashvili, and Deputy Director of the Training Center of Justice Vakhtang Asanidze, along with representatives from penitentiary institutions of Europris member countries.

The success of the Digital University highlights the significant progress in Georgia's penitentiary system. Previously plagued by systemic human rights violations until 2012, the system is now regarded as exemplary across Europe by international institutions.

Launched in 2022, the Digital University project in Georgian penitentiary institutions provides convicts with access to education. It enables them to participate remotely in university courses, attend online lectures, and engage in direct, interactive communication with lecturers.

At the Europris meeting, plans for the annual conference of the European Association of Training Centers of the Penitentiary System (EPTA) were also discussed. This event is scheduled for September 11-13, 2024, and will be hosted in Tbilisi, under the chairmanship of the Georgian Training Center of Justice.

At the end of the event, a panel discussion featured the participation of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the Minister of Internal Affairs and Security of the Republic of Korea, and ministers and deputies from various countries.

During the panel discussion, the First Deputy Minister of Justice, Tamar Tkeshelashvili, spoke about the reforms carried out in public administration and gender equality in Georgia. She emphasized the importance of increasing the role of women in the public sector, their involvement in decision-making processes, and Georgia's achievements in this area.

"Empowerment of women is one of the main priorities of the Government of Georgia. As a result of the implemented reforms, 47% of those employed in managerial positions in the public service are women. Additionally, among the employees in the Ministry of Justice, 59% of those in managerial positions are women. The state continues to strengthen the role of women in public service, monitor relevant governmental processes, and promote gender mainstreaming through parliamentary councils," noted Tamar Tkeshelashvili.

The International Public Service Forum was held over three days. The purpose of the forum was to share best practices regarding achievements, challenges, and future prospects in public administration and public service delivery.

The UN Public Services Forum will be held in Georgia in 2026, hosted by the Ministry of Justice.

The delegation of the Ministry of Justice of Georgia continues its participation in the World Public Service Forum.

At the forum, Head of the International Relations Division of the Department of International Relations and Legal Cooperation at the Ministry of Justice of Georgia, Mariam Bregadze highlighted the roles and opportunities for young civil servants in the public service sector.

Thematic sessions delved into the ongoing public administration reform in Georgia and the 2022-2025 Public Services Development Strategy. This strategy, the first of its kind, was created and approved by the government as a unified plan for the development of public services.

The goal of the Public Services Development Strategy is to introduce new standards for customer-oriented service creation, delivery, quality assurance, and evaluation.

Approximately 1,200 representatives from 50 countries are attending the World Public Service Forum, which concludes tomorrow.

Today, the US State Department published its annual report on human trafficking, recognizing Georgia as a top performer in anti-trafficking measures among 186 countries for the ninth consecutive year. Georgia is once again included in the "Tier 1" category, a distinction held by only 33 countries this year.

Georgia stands out as the only country in its region and among EU membership candidates to achieve this highest rating from the US State Department. Notably, 12 EU member states did not make it to Tier 1.

Georgia’s robust efforts in combating human trafficking play a crucial role in its European Union integration process, fostering a safe and reliable environment for fighting transnational organized crime.

The US State Department’s report highlights Georgia's comprehensive adherence to anti-trafficking standards. The country maintains strong, sustainable, consistent, and coordinated measures, which have earned it the top rating.

The report commends the Georgian government’s intensified efforts across all aspects of combating human trafficking, including crime prevention, criminal detection, prosecution, and victim protection. Key positive assessments include:

- A working group led by the Ministry of Justice of Georgia, focusing on an annual large-scale information campaign about the risks of human trafficking and protective measures.

• Proactive measures to detect crimes and increase criminal prosecutions.
• Expansion of available shelters for trafficking victims.
• Enhancement of labor migration legislation to prevent human trafficking crimes.

Georgia's leading position and progress in the US State Department's report reflect the effective efforts of the Interagency Coordination Council, which implements anti-trafficking measures.

The council is headed by the Minister of Justice of Georgia and includes representatives from all relevant state agencies, the Office of the Public Defender, and various non-governmental and international organizations.

The annual World Public Service Forum, organized by the United Nations and the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Security of the Republic of Korea, commenced on June 24, 2024, in Incheon, South Korea. This year, the Georgian delegation, led by First Deputy Minister of Justice, Tamar Tkeshelashvili, is actively participating in the event.

The forum has brought together approximately 1,200 representatives from 50 countries. Key speakers at the opening ceremony included UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Lee Junhua, former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, President of the Republic of Korea Yoon Suk-yeol, and Minister of Internal Affairs and Security of the Republic of Korea Lee Sang-min. High-level government representatives, experts, and international organization members are also in attendance.

The annual UN Forum provides a vital platform for countries to discuss innovations, challenges, achievements, and future prospects in public service delivery. Georgian representatives will engage in various thematic sessions throughout the event. Additionally, First Deputy Minister of Justice Tamar Tkeshelashvili will deliver a speech at the ministerial round table meeting.

The Georgian delegation also includes: Georgia's Ambassador to the Republic of Korea, Tarash Papaskua, Chairperson of the Public Registry National Agency, David Devidze, Chairperson of the State Services Development Agency, Ketevan Betlemidze, Chairpperson of the Public Service Hall, Lasha Lobjanidze and Head of the International Relations Division of the Department of International Relations and Legal Cooperation of the Ministry ofJustice, Mariam Bregadze.

Notably, the Ministry of Justice of Georgia will host the World Public Service Forum in 2026, marking significant international recognition of Georgia's achievements in state service development. This initiative was discussed by the Minister of Justice of Georgia with the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations during a visit to the USA last year.

With the support of the Ministry of Justice and Caucasus International University, the presentation of the first volume of Mindia Ugrekhelidze's "Selected Writings" took place at the National Archives' exhibition pavilion. Georgian jurist Mindia Ugrekhelidze is a pioneering figure in the Georgian Scientific School of Criminal Law. Throughout his career, he has served as the Chairperson of the Supreme Court of Georgia, a judge of the European Court of Human Rights, and a member of the World Association of Lawyers and the International Association of Criminal Law. He is also the author of approximately 70 scholarly works.

A key priority of the Ministry of Justice is the development of approaches grounded in scientific research. The publication of the works by members of the Georgian Scientific School of Criminal Law aims to equip future generations of lawyers with essential professional literature.

Most of the writings included in Mindia Ugrekhelidze's book were originally published abroad and are considered bibliographic rarities in Georgia. The insights presented in "Selected Writings" extend beyond a purely legal analysis of criminal law issues. They encompass a wide array of disciplines including legal dogmatics, politics, philosophy, sociology, psychology, and ethics.

The book presentation was attended by the Minister of Justice, Rati Bregadze, along with deputies, members of the Cabinet of Ministers, and Parliament. Representatives from the cultural, scientific, and academic communities were also present.

The publication of the book was financially supported by Caucasus International University.