On March 18, 2018, Public Defender Nino Lomjaria met with representatives of Women’s Movement and the persons accusing former candidate of membership of the Public Broadcaster’s Board of Trustees, nominated by the Public Defender, of sexual harassment, – the Public Defender’s Office released the regarding information.

“The Public Defender personally listened to the women whose stories contained signs of alleged sexual harassment and sexual abuse. The cases will be studied by the Public Defender on her own initiative, within the framework of the mechanism of combating discrimination and violence against women, during which, the fundamental rights, dignity, honor and privacy of all parties will be fully observed.

It is noteworthy that the Public Defender learned about the abovementioned alleged cases after Women’s Movement disseminated a public statement following the nomination of the candidate by the Public Defender. Nino Lomjaria once again emphasizes the importance of the issue, expresses full readiness to study all alleged cases of sexual harassment within the authority granted by law and calls on all persons concerned to contact the Public Defender’s offices or call the hotline 1481.

The Public Defender continues combating violence against women, sexual harassment and gender discrimination and calls on the responsible agencies to establish an effective mechanism for regulating sexual harassment, as well as to take effective steps for the legislative definition of sexual harassment, which implies an unwelcome verbal, non-verbal or physical act of sexual nature that insults, humiliates, threatens and/or degrades a person” – the statement published by the Office reads.