Civil society organizations react to recent reports of grave crimes

Transparency International Georgia

Recent media reports of murders and crimes have caused great public concern and created an impression that the number of serious crimes is on the rise.

Responses provided by the Ministry of Internal Affairs to questions posed by the media and public about the increased incidences of crime are often inconsistent and contradictory. In order for the reality to be properly reflected and assessed, it is important for the public to know exactly what methods are being used to calculate crime statistics. The public need to know if the government has a strategy for preventing and combating crime.

We believe that in these circumstances the appropriate investigative agencies, especially the Ministry of Internal Affairs, must refrain from making general political statements. These agencies should inform the public about what is being done to bring perpetrators to justice and ensure a timely investigation of these crimes. At the same time, methods of combating and preventing crime need to be revised and a more effective strategy needs to be elaborated.

Therefore, we urge the Ministry of Internal Affairs and other relevant authorities to:

• Publish comprehensive crime statistics more frequently and regularly, in order to make objective analysis of the state of crime possible;
• Provide media and the public access to the methodology of gathering crime statistics;
• Develop an effective strategy for preventing and combating crime;
• Focus on prisoner rehabilitation and re-socialization programs, in order to more effectively combat recidivism;
• Finally, relevant authorities need to thoroughly examine the cases of each inmate to be released early from prison, while politicians need to consider the responsibility they take upon themselves when issuing such recommendations more seriously.

Transparency International Georgia

Open Society Georgia Foundation (OSGF)

International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED)

Georgian Democracy Initiative (GDI)

Article 42 of the Constitution

Civil Development Agency (CiDA)