Nato Shavlakadze: reports on reduction of violence in Georgia are made for show of democracy

In May 2007, Anna Zunder-Plazman, an employee of the Amnesty International human rights organization, visited Georgia to gather information on application of violence to citizens by law enforcement bodies and on situation with women in Georgian villages.

She shared her impressions with the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent: "I can tell that surely with advent to power of the new government the number of torture cases of people at militia stations went down, but we still possess data that during arrest the militia continues to use violence against people." Her recommendations concerning payment of compensation to victims of domestic violence and police brutality have evoked no anticipated response among the governmental circles.

Ms. Nato Shavlakadze, Chair of the "National Network against Violence" and one of the authors of the bill "On Prevention of Family Violence, Defence and Help to Victims of Domestic Violence in Georgia," explained the problem of domestic violence to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent:

"Earlier they used to say that it's not worth 'washing dirty linen in public,' and that this sort of 'trifles' is not worth the government's attention. Recently, <...> cases appeared in cities, in particular in Tbilisi, when people would like to address for help. Nevertheless, the problem has not been rooted out, and in regions people are afraid to speak about it aloud.

On May 25, 2006, the Law was adopted at last. Meanwhile, fines are not appointed, but should the judge rule, the tyrant will have no right to approach the victim and to call her/him up. Should the offender breach the ruling, the police will have the full right to arrest him/her and put to prison for the term of 30 days. But <...> the punishments should be made tougher. The most difficult thing was to convince the government that we really need it and it is not a small problem."