Tbilisi. The Public Defender is responding to the amendments to be made to the rules for questioning of witnesses at the stage of investigation and negatively evaluates the Government's initiative. 

''The Public Defender cannot accept the arguments based on which the Government of Georgia demands two-year postponement of the new rules of questioning of witnesses with respect to certain categories of crimes. We believe that such a threat exists in relation to other crimes too; in addition, it is not clear how these threats will be eliminated in two years. It must be said that the law enforcement agencies had enough time and resources to carry out preparatory measures for introducing this institution in practice, to raise employees' skills and professionalism that would have promoted practical realization of the principle of voluntariness of questioning of witnesses'', is noted in the statement.

Source: www.ombudsman.ge