The Committee held a hearing of the annual report for 2020 on human rights and freedoms, introduced by the Public Defender.

The report includes the challenges and progress, as well as the recommendations issued. 5698 citizens have addressed the PD Office in 2020 and 8270 calls were received by the operator.

The PD Office issued 107 recommendations, 11 positions of the amicus curiae, 6 constitutional claims, 6 communications with the EC Committee of Ministers on enforcement of the Orders on Georgia, 2 addresses to the ECHR and 537 visits to the closed and state institutions.

Nino Lomjaria introduced the conclusions developed on the basis of the violations detected in a proactive manner and stressed the rights of life, fair court, privacy, equality and overviewed the situation in the penitentiary departments. She emphasized the impact of the pandemic on human rights and freedoms and on a healthcare system.

“The inefficiency of the rights of the patients was a problem, especially in October-November in terms of the belated hospitalization and treatment, and even fatalities. In terms of the rights of the persons with disabilities, I welcome the adoption of the legal acts and approximation of the legislation to the international standards”, - the PD stated.

According to her, poverty remains an acute problem. She hailed the establishment of the gender quotation in the Parliament and noted the labor reform in 2020, and oversight on the labor rights by the Labor Inspection.

She dwelt on the environmental and cultural heritage, national minorities and civil integration, as well as the legal state of the foreign citizens.

The Parliament will develop the draft resolution based on the recommendations. The Committee will also hear the agencies that the PD Office has issued the recommendations to.