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Thursday, 24 October , 2024
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According to survey by Ipsos France, 61% of Georgia's population has positively assessed the independence of its courts

Commissioned by Georgia's Ministry of Justice, the survey was conducted by the consortium Ipsos France in collaboration with Professor Jan van Dijk. The study involved two components: a survey of the general population and a separate study targeting legal professionals. Between July 14 and August 9, 2024, 2,000 citizens across Georgia were interviewed in person.

The results revealed that 61% of respondents considered the justice system's independence as either "very good" or "mostly good." This represents a 10% increase since 2018 and surpasses the European Union average of 53%, as indicated by the 2023 Eurobarometer survey.

In addition to the public survey, interviews with legal professionals—such as judges, prosecutors, lawyers, and members of the High Council of Justice— positively assessed the reforms implemented in recent years.

About the consortium: Ipsos, the world’s third-largest market research firm, was founded in 1975 in Paris, France, and operates in 90 countries globally.

Professor Jan van Dijk, Professor Emeritus at Tilburg University, served as the Director of the Department of Strategic Planning at the Ministry of Justice in the Netherlands for four years. He also established a victim support center in the Netherlands and has been a visiting professor at the University of Oxford. A globally recognized expert in criminal law, Professor van Dijk has published over 200 academic papers and was awarded the Stockholm Prize in Criminology in 2012.

The detailed findings of the research are presented in the attached reports:

1. Results of Assessments in 2018 and 2024 by Judges, Prosecutors, Attorneys, Members of High Council of Justice of Georgia, Court Users and the Public (Prof Jan van Dijk) [in Georgian]

2.Results of Assessments in 2018 and 2024 by Judges, Prosecutors, Attorneys, Members of High Council of Justice of Georgia, Court Users and the Public (Prof Jan van Dijk) [in English]

3.Public Perception of the Judicial System in Georgia; Georgian Population Survey [in Georgian]

4.Public Perception of the Judicial System in Georgia; Georgian Population Survey [in English]

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Strasbourg Court Confirms Davit Kezerashvili’s Guilt in Embezzling Georgian Army Funds, Rejects Claims of Political Persecution

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has issued its decision in the case of Davit Kezerashvili v. Georgia. At a briefing, Justice Minister Anri Okhanashvili discussed the ruling, which upheld the verdict against Kezerashvili.

“The Court concluded that, while serving as Defense Minister shortly before the August 2008 war, Davit Kezerashvili embezzled €5,060,000 (approximately 15 million GEL at today's exchange rate) intended for the Georgian army. It also determined there was no political persecution involved in his prosecution. The Supreme Court of Georgia's verdict finding Kezerashvili guilty was deemed well-founded, and no violation of the presumption of innocence was found,” Okhanashvili stated.

Okhanashvili outlined the fraudulent activities carried out by Kezerashvili:

"During his tenure as Defense Minister, Kezerashvili unlawfully signed a fictitious agreement with an offshore company in a single day to provide combat training for the Georgian army. This agreement bypassed the General Staff of the Defense Forces. In reality, no training occurred, and the €5,060,000 allocated for the Georgian army was deliberately misappropriated."

Anri Okhanashvili emphasized that the Court also dismissed Kezerashvili’s demand for €15,000 in moral damages. Kezerashvili, who enriched himself by defrauding the Georgian army, sought additional compensation for moral damage. The Strasbourg Court firmly rejected this claim. It confirmed the seriousness of Kezerashvili’s crime and upheld the Supreme Court of Georgia's ruling as lawful.

The Justice Minister congratulated the Georgian state and armed forces on their success in the European Court and acknowledged those who defended Georgia’s interests:


“I congratulate the Georgian state, army, and people on this significant victory. I extend my gratitude to the Ministry of Justice staff and the Prosecutor’s Office for their dedicated work. We now look forward to seeing how our European partners, particularly those who previously characterized Kezerashvili as a media advocate, respond to this decision affirming his guilt,” Okhanashvili remarked.