The newly created hate speech division of the Human Rights Protection Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) has begun its operations. Tamta Kimbarishvili has been appointed to head the newly established Hate Speech Division.

According to the Ministry, the division’s principal functions and responsibilities will comprise the monitoring and proactive identification of publicly disseminated statements that are degrading or offensive to human dignity or contain hate speech, where such statements bear the hallmarks of an offence under Georgia’s Code of Administrative Offences.

The Ministry also reports that the division will be responsible for identifying and establishing the identity of alleged offenders, preparing materials for administrative proceedings, drawing up administrative offence reports, and forwarding cases to the courts of general jurisdiction in accordance with the rules governing competence.

“At the initial stage, the division’s staffing level has been set at ten posts. Members of the division will carry out their work within the legislative framework already in force in the country,” the Ministry’s statement reads.