High UN Commissioner notes Georgian progress with human rights

Georgia has reached an essential progress in the sphere of defence of human rights, for example, by having ratified the basic human rights conventions, in particular, the Protocol on the struggle against torture. This was stated by Louise Arbor, High UN Commissioner for Human Rights, at her press conference held in the "Courtyard" Hotel, where she summed up her three-day visit to Georgia and Abkhazia.

"However, it's important that the functioning mechanism of this Protocol (on struggle against torture, - note of the "Caucasian Knot") is in place, as well as of the measures incorporated therein, say, of access to prisoners. Such mechanism can be created by means of the Ombudsman's Office, however, other organizations can be involved," Ms Arbor has stated.

The High Commissioner has also emphasized that ratification of three more conventions is a must, in particular, on defence of physically and mentally impaired persons.

"I also have to express my concern with the custody conditions for inmates in prisons, namely, with the quality of medical help, detention procedure, total number of inmates, as well as with life conditions of internally displaced persons (IDPs)," Ms Arbor said.

She paid special attention to investigation of the November events and dispersal of the meeting of the opposition on November 7. As she said, the investigation should be accessible and open to the public as much as possible and should touch both on the problems of the system and on punishment of particular culprits of the events.