Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Nils Muižnieks condemned the attacks of Georgian Justice Minister Tea Tsulukiani on the Ombudsman and called for refraining from such comments. He stated this in an exclusive comment to FrontNews International.

“I understand that a series of negative statements have been made by certain high-ranking officials in Georgia against the Public Defender. I am very concerned about the harm that such sustained verbal attacks can cause to the standing and effectiveness of this important institution. Like all Ombudsmen, the role of the Public Defender is to act in defense of human rights, be a check on the power of governments and to help improve the quality of governance. As such, his very role is to identify possible shortcomings in law and practice in his reports and interventions,” said Muižnieks.

According to the Commissioner, authorities might not always agree with the Public Defender’s criticisms, and it is crucial that the Public Defender is not hindered in the performance of his tasks and can act with the requisite independence, free from any undue pressure. This is also important in the context of the forthcoming election of the new Georgian Public Defender.

“For this reason, I consider verbal attacks on the institution of the Public Defender unacceptable. I strongly urge all participants of the public debate in Georgia to demonstrate responsibility and to refrain from making any statements that could damage the reputation of the Public Defender or his Office, or have a negative impact on the public perception of their activities” he said.