Minister of Justice of Georgia Paata Salia met with the Deputy Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Nazhat Shameem Khan.

The parties discussed ongoing cooperation between Georgia and the ICC in relation to the Court’s investigation into the Russia-Georgia war of 2008.

The Deputy Prosecutor and the Minister of Justice addressed the pending arrest warrants, reiterating that the voice of the victims to be heard remains paramount, in order to adjudicate the alleged crimes committed in August 2008. To this end, it was confirmed that victims will need to continue to play a role and that their safety and security remains a priority, to allow them to safely tell their story before the court.

The importance of effective and transparent collaboration, in full compliance with Georgia’s obligations under the Rome Statute, was emphasized.

The discussion also touched upon the recent judgment of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in the case Georgia v. Russia (IV), which awarded more than 253 million euros in compensation to over 29,000 victims.

The meeting was attended by Deputy Ministers of Justice Merab Turava, Beka Dzamashvili, Giorgi Dgebuadze and Lana Morgoshia, along with members of the ICC delegation.

The European Court of Human Rights has ordered the Russian Federation to pay €253,018,000 in compensation to Georgia in the case Georgia v. Russia (IV) concerning the continued occupation of Georgian territories.

On October 14, 2025, the Court in Strasbourg delivered its judgment on just satisfaction. Having examined the complex legal arguments and extensive evidence submitted by the Government of Georgia, the Court ordered the Russian Federation to pay compensation to more than 29,000 affected Georgian citizens.

As is known to the public, on April 9, 2024, the Court held Russia fully responsible for the mass harassment, unlawful detention, physical attacks, killings, and the official tolerance of such actions against the Georgian population in the occupied territories and along the occupation line. These violations occurred in the context of the ongoing occupation of Georgian territories and the process of so-called “borderization.”

Today’s judgment represents a continuation of Georgia’s historic legal victories before the European Court of Human Rights. In the deportation case (Georgia v. Russia I), related to the mass expulsion of ethnic Georgians from the Russian Federation, the Court ordered Russia to pay €10 million in compensation for the large-scale deportations and the gross violations of human rights. In the August War case (Georgia v. Russia II), concerning the events of the 2008 war and its aftermath, the Court ordered Russia to pay €130 million for the widespread human rights violations committed against Georgian citizens.

Although the Russian Federation is no longer a member of the Council of Europe, it remains legally bound to implement the judgments of the Court and is subject to accruing fines for each day of non-compliance.

The enforcement of these judgments is being actively pursued within the framework of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, with the full engagement of the Government of Georgia.

The Ministry of Justice of Georgia expresses its appreciation to all state agencies involved in the preparation of evidence and congratulates the people of Georgia on this historic achievement.

Lana Morgoshia has been appointed Deputy Minister of Justice.

A lawyer by profession, Lana Morgoshia has 12 years of experience at the Ministry of Justice of Georgia.

Before her appointment, she served as the Head of the Administration of the Ministry.

The final session of the Interagency Task Force for Free and Fair Elections was held at the Ministry of Justice, chaired by the Minister of Justice, Paata Salia.

During the meeting, the members of the commission reviewed the conduct of the October 4, 2025 local self-government elections, the post-election period, and the findings of election media monitoring.

Throughout its mandate, the Task Force examined approximately 30 issues, including statements from political parties and observation organizations, as well as potential violations identified through media monitoring.

It was noted that, based on investigations conducted by the relevant authorities, no violations of electoral legislation were confirmed. Likewise, no instances of the improper use of administrative resources by public officials were recorded.

Minister Paata Salia expressed his gratitude to the members of the Task Force for their work and underscored the importance of the interagency format, which facilitates effective coordination and cooperation throughout the electoral process.

The Minister of Justice of Georgia, Paata Salia, congratulated the Ministry’s employees on their Professional Day, expressing gratitude for their dedicated service and professionalism.

As part of the celebration, Minister Salia presented special certificates to employees in recognition of their long-term service.

The Professional Day of the Ministry of Justice is marked annually on October 11 — a date that commemorates the establishment of the Ministry’s first structural unit, the Codification Department, in 1918.

The Ministry of Justice of Georgia responds to the information released by the State Security Service regarding the detention of Giorgi Kemoklidze, former Deputy Director of the Penitentiary Department of the Special Penitentiary Service.

The General Inspectorate of the Ministry of Justice had been conducting an internal investigation into the incident that occurred on July 11 of this year at Penitentiary Institution No. 8, involving K. Metreveli and G. Bachiashvili. At a certain stage of the investigation, in accordance with the law, the criminal case was transferred to the Anti-Corruption Agency of the State Security Service for further investigation.

The information made public yesterday by the Anti-Corruption Agency aligns with the version presented in the statement issued by the Special Penitentiary Service on August 21, 2025, regarding the incident that took place in the cell of G. Bachiashvili.

As part of the ongoing investigation, one of the former senior officials of the Special Penitentiary Service has been identified as having allegedly committed criminal acts. Such conduct harms the reputation of the Service and the hundreds of dedicated employees who perform their duties with integrity and responsibility on a 24-hour basis.

The Ministry of Justice and the Special Penitentiary Service continue to actively cooperate with the investigative authorities.

The Interagency Task Force for Free and Fair Elections held its latest session at the Ministry of Justice, chaired by the Minister of Justice, Paata Salia.

During the session, members of the Task Force reviewed the findings of the monitoring activities conducted throughout the pre-election period of the 2025 local elections, as well as developments observed on election day. It was noted that the elections were held in a calm, fair, and competitive environment, without any significant incidents or disruptions.

According to the Central Election Commission (CEC), a total of 25 complaints were submitted to District Election Commissions. However, none of these complaints concerned violations that could have influenced the final results of the election process.

Established under the Election Code, the Task Force is mandated to prevent violations of electoral legislation by public servants, ensure a timely response to potential incidents, and develop appropriate recommendations.

In the process of monitoring the election environment, the Interagency Commission studied information disseminated in the media and provided by political unions.

The Commission will work until the official publication of the final election results and will hold one more, summary session.

The Minister of Justice of Georgia, Paata Salia, together with Deputy Minister Beka Dzamashvili, held a meeting with the Ambassador of Hungary to Georgia, Petra Ponevach-Pana.

The introductory meeting highlighted areas of cooperation between Georgia and Hungary in the field of justice, as well as concrete plans for future collaboration.

Special attention was given to the organizational aspects of the Georgian-Hungarian Legal Forum, scheduled for 2026, which aims to foster professional dialogue and the exchange of best practices

On September 29, 2025, the U.S. Department of State released its annual Trafficking in Persons Report, which once again placed Georgia in the highest position for its efforts to combat human trafficking. Georgia has maintained this top position—known as the “first tier”—for the 10th consecutive year, ranking among just 33 countries worldwide out of 188 assessed.

Georgia remains the only country in the region, and the only EU candidate state, to hold this distinction. Notably, 11 EU member states failed to qualify for the first tier this year.

Georgia pays significant attention to the effective fight against human trafficking, which is also an important part of Georgia’s EU integration process and creates a safe and reliable environment in the country and the region in terms of combating transnational organized crime.

The report commends Georgia for fully meeting international standards in the fight against human trafficking. It highlights the country’s consistent, coordinated, and sustainable measures aimed at prevention, detection, prosecution of offenders, and protection of victims. These efforts not only strengthen national security but also contribute significantly to Georgia’s EU integration process and regional stability in countering transnational organized crime.

Georgia’s leading position reflects the effective work of the Interagency Coordination Council for Countering Trafficking in Persons, chaired by the Minister of Justice of Georgia. The Council brings together representatives of all relevant state agencies, the Public Defender’s Office, and partner organizations.