The Minister of Justice of Georgia, Rati Bregadze, met with Gustav Talving, the Executive Director of EUROPRIS, to discuss successful reforms in the penitentiary system and explore areas for further collaboration. This meeting took place during the Annual Conference of the European Association of Penitentiary System Training Centers (EPTA), hosted by the Justice Training Center of the Georgian Ministry of Justice, under Georgia’s presidency of EPTA.

Georgia became the head of the organization in 2023.

During the meeting, the Minister and the Executive Director reflected on the positive outcomes of the Tbilisi conference and outlined future cooperation initiatives.

Gustav Talving expressed his gratitude to Minister Bregadze for hosting the event and for the productive partnership between Georgia and EUROPRIS, which has notably strengthened since their meeting in the Hague in May 2023.

The meeting was also attended by Beka Dzamashvili, the Deputy Minister of Justice.

The Ministry of Justice, together with the Justice Training Center, is hosting the annual conference of the European Penitentiary Training Academy (EPTA), under Georgia’s chairmanship of the organization. The conference is dedicated to discussing education and practice development within penitentiary systems.

In his opening remarks, Minister Rati Bregadze emphasized the critical role of penitentiary systems in maintaining public order and national security. He highlighted several key achievements within the Georgian penitentiary system, including:

• Digital University, providing prisoners with access to education;
• Employed prisoners and the "Re-Market" initiative, where products made by convicts are sold;
• Georgian innovation - Public Service Hall located within penitentiary institutions, allowing convicts access to essential state services.

Minister Bregadze further underscored the significance of the Penal Code, explaining that it ensures favorable conditions for both inmates and prison staff.

"The state's respect for human rights is most evident in the conditions within its penitentiary institutions. The Penitentiary Code not only protects the rights of inmates but also improves the working conditions of employees, allowing for the humane execution of sentences," he said. Bregadze also discussed the ministry's ongoing infrastructural projects, emphasizing the trend toward constructing small-scale institutions as a priority.

"We follow the trend of building small-scale facilities in penitentiary system. On the one-year anniversary of the opening of the small-scale institution in Laituri, we will open a second small-scale institution in Rustavi, which will be designed for a maximum of 200 inmates. "None of these advancements would have been possible without well-trained personnel," Bregadze noted, emphasizing the establishment of a new structure within the Justice Training Center to oversee staff training. He also mentioned the creation of the Saakadze Base and the focus on infrastructure improvements and tailored educational programs for penitentiary employees. Chairperson of the Human Rights Protection and Civil Integration Committee of the Parliament, Rati Yonatamishvili, and Executive Director of the European Organization of Prison and Penitentiary Systems EUROPRIS, Gustav Talving also addressed the conference.

"Georgia was a part of the Soviet system for 70 years, and the effort the country made to get out of this period is very impressive. Mr. Bregadze, thank you very much for your trust, for supporting EUROPRIS and EPTA, and thank you even more for continuously trying to bring Georgia's penitentiary system closer to European standards," said Gustav Talving. Over the course of the three-day conference, attendees will tour Penitentiary No. 16 to observe prisoner-operated small enterprises and visit the Saakadze Training Base for demonstrations of penitentiary work and the services provided by the Public Service Hall.

The Justice Training Center assumed the EPTA chairmanship in 2023 for a one-year term. Established in 2010, EPTA consists of 36 European penitentiary training centers, fostering collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and best practices across the continent.

To prevent and address violations of election laws by public officials during the Parliamentary elections in Georgia on October 26, 2024, and in light of the hate speech and provocative actions directed at civil servants during the pre-election process, the Interagency Task Force for Free and Fair Elections (IATF) under the Ministry of Justice of Georgia urges all election participants to:

• Avoid using language that contains hate speech, as it undermines a free and fair election environment.
• Refrain from promoting violence to prevent incidents of aggression, including both verbal and physical confrontations during the election process;
• Avoid insulting or pressuring public officials, as this harms the election atmosphere, disrupts social unity, and violates human rights as recognized by both international and national laws.

Rati Bregadze extended his gratitude to each employee of the Special Penitentiary Service, recognizing their dedication and hard work. During the ceremony, 21 employees were honoured with special awards and certificates for their exemplary performance. Minister Bregadze highlighted the crucial role the Special Penitentiary Service plays in maintaining state security and law and order, and commended the agency for its effective execution of this vital mission.

The Minister took the opportunity to present the achievements of the Special Penitentiary Service to the event's guests. He emphasized that one of the Ministry of Justice’s primary concerns is the well-being of those responsible for executing sentences. Improving working conditions for employees remains a top priority.

Over the past decade, significant advancements have been made, including a 118% increase in salaries. Employees now benefit from free meals, health insurance, safe transportation, modern sports facilities, and training spaces. Additionally, ongoing retraining and professional development programs are actively implemented.

Minister Bregadze reflected on the state of the penitentiary system before 2012, noting that the era of systemic abuse and inhumane treatment is now a thing of the past. Today, Georgian prisons are considered among the best in Europe, showcasing the human-centered approach of the current government.

According to Rati Bregadze, one of the most accurate examples of the human face of the current government is the penitentiary institutions.

The Minister also expressed gratitude to prisoners who have set positive examples through successful re-socialization.

The Minister of Justice highlighted the unique educational opportunities available in prisons, such as higher education through the Digital University—recognized as one of the top innovative projects by EuroPris—vocational training in marketable skills, and participation in various sports activities. Additionally, prisoners have access to government services through the Public Service Hall, a global innovation.

Significant progress has been made in penitentiary healthcare, including the eradication of tuberculosis and the implementation of a Hepatitis C elimination program. An innovative online clinic service now allows prisoners to consult with external specialists remotely.

The infrastructure of penitentiary institutions has also seen improvements, such as the opening of Laituri prison, which meets European standards and CPT recommendations, and the nearing completion of a new small penitentiary facility in Rustavi.

A new penitentiary code has been enacted to enhance the working conditions of Special Penitentiary Service employees and improve the legal status of individuals in penitentiary institutions. According to Minister Bregadze, the benefits of the new Penal Code are already evident to all prisoners.

The Head of the Special Penitentiary Service, Nika Tsvarashvili, also spoke, emphasizing the vital role of ordinary employees in the system's success.

The event took place at the Saakadze Training Base of the Justice Training Center, a unique regional facility for universal and specialized training courses. Attendees included the Deputy Minister of Justice, Heads of the Special Penitentiary Service and the Ministry

The Minister of Justice of Georgia has signed the Council of Europe’s Convention on Artificial Intelligence, marking the first international legally binding document aimed at balancing the use of AI systems with the protection of human rights.

The convention establishes a legal framework and outlines fundamental principles for the use of artificial intelligence in member states. Its key objective is to ensure that human rights are upheld in the context of AI utilization.

Rati Bregadze, Minister of Justice of Georgia, emphasized that the ministry's priority is twofold: advancing modern technologies in the justice and public service sectors while simultaneously ensuring that the legal regulations governing these technologies align fully with human rights standards. In line with this goal, the Ministry of Justice plans to establish the Artificial Intelligence Legal Center in the near future.

In addition to Georgia, the convention was signed by representatives from the European Union, the United States, the United Kingdom, Andorra, Iceland, Norway, Israel, San Marino, and Moldova.

The conference, focusing on the importance of justice for international crimes, places special emphasis on those committed in Ukraine.

In his speech, Minister Bregadze highlighted the challenges of collecting evidence following the 2008 Russia-Georgia war, emphasizing the importance of timely documentation in such cases. He also addressed the ongoing difficulties of gathering evidence in occupied territories.

The ministerial meeting, organized by the Republic of Lithuania as part of its Presidency of the Council of Europe, is attended by the Georgian delegation led by Minister of Justice Rati Bregadze. The delegation includes Deputy Minister of Justice Beka Dzamashvili and Georgia's Ambassador to Lithuania, Salome Shafakidze.

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 the session, commission members were asked to respond to the information obtained through monitoring.

The session was chaired by Deputy Chairperson of the IATF, Deputy Minister of Justice, Tornike Cheishvili. Representatives from various public agencies also participated in the proceedings.

Additionally, the session included representatives from international monitoring organizations such as the International Republican Institute (IRI), the National Democratic Institute (NDI), and political parties.

The Commission can be reached for information on issues within its competence via email at iatf@justice.gov.ge or through the hotline at (+995) 599 85 00 11.