From 25 to 27 April the Council of Europe together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway organised a study visit of a delegation of Georgian officials and NGOs representatives to Norway. Among the topics discussed during the visit were the legal and policy framework to respond, collect and analyse data on hate-motivated crimes, discrimination and hate speech, the benefits of a multisectoral cooperation and the involvement of civil society organisations in those areas.
The aim of the study visit was to assist Georgian authorities with the implementation of Case of Identoba and Others v. Georgia. In its judgment, the Court found shortcomings in the investigation of hate-motivated crimes (namely, homophobic violence) and highlighted the failure to protect the demonstrators participating in the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT) march in Tbilisi. The Committee of Ministers’ recommendations on execution of the judgment highlighted the importance of zero tolerance against hate-motivated crimes, effective investigation of violence, need for data collection, capacity building for investigation and prosecution of hate crimes, and comprehensive and targeted State policy for combating hate crimes and discrimination.
The Georgian delegation was composed of representatives from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Prosecutor’s Office, Ministry of Justice, Supreme Court, Special Investigation Service, Public Defender’s Office and the Coalition for Equality.
During the visit, the participants had the opportunity to learn about Norway’s experience with the specialised investigation system on hate-motivated crimes, the work of specialised investigators in Norway, data collection on investigation and the prosecution of hate-motivated crimes, and court practice on adjudication of hate crimes. More specifically, the participants learned about Norway’s national action plan for the police: Diversity, dialogue, and trust, which guides the police's work in the period 2022-2025. The Equality and Anti-Discrimination Ombud of Norway presented their strategy for 2023-2025, especially in relation to work on hate crime. It presented the work with hate crime networks as well as the contribution of CSOs in prevention of hate crime, production of data and support of victims. The visit also included exchange with the Norwegian Organisation for Sexual and Gender Diversity including the project Pink Competency Justice, the Norwegian National Human Rights Institution (NHRI). The meeting with the Norwegian Police Service (and National Police Directorate focused on prevention of hate crime , while the discussion with the Ministry of Culture and Equality looked into its action plan against discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and gender characteristics.
The participants also visited the 22 July memorial site which commemorates the victims of the attacks by right-wing terrorist who killed 77 mostly young people in Oslo and Utøya in July 2011.
This activity is implemented in the framework of the Project “Promoting the Effective Protection of Equality and Non-Discrimination in Georgia” and co-funded by the SOGI Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Unit of the Council of Europe. The Project is funded through the Council of Europe Action Plan for Georgia 2020-2023.
