A/HRC/36/65 National Strategy for the Protection of Human Rights in Georgia, 2014-2020, which was adopted by the Parliament in 2014. 9. The stated aim of the National Strategy is to establish “institutional democracy” and to ensure that actions of duty bearers are geared towards the realization of the human rights of the population. To support the National Strategy, the Government elaborated national human rights action plans for 2014-2015 and for 2016-2017. In April 2017, the Government published and disseminated a report on progress in the implementation of the National Strategy.3 10. A National Human Rights Action Plan Coordinating Inter-Agency Council, chaired by the Prime Minister, was established in 2014 to oversee the implementation of the National Human Rights Action Plan, but it has not met since mid-2015. Since 2016, the Parliament has been increasing its engagement in the human rights sphere by enhancing its oversight of the implementation by the executive branch of recommendations of international and regional human rights mechanisms and of the national human rights institution. 11. Along with other United Nations entities, OHCHR provided assistance to the Government with the elaboration and implementation of the National Human Rights Action Plan, including in the framework of a programme funded by the European Union. This included capacity-building for legal professionals, police officers, university students and youth groups, as well as for civil servants, including representatives of local selfgovernment bodies. Most of the OHCHR activities were planned in close consultation with the National Human Rights Action Plan secretariat and were conducted in response to requests by, and in cooperation with, the Government. The present report highlights key human rights issues which OHCHR activities have aimed at addressing. 1. Administration of justice 12. OHCHR assistance in the justice sector focused on building the awareness and capacity of new judges to apply international human rights standards. In close cooperation with the High School of Justice, OHCHR trained judges, with an emphasis on the rights to freedom of expression and freedom of religion or belief, the right to private and family life, and access to justice for persons with disabilities. To promote the right to a fair trial and the principle of equality of arms, OHCHR developed several studies at the request of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Within broader assistance efforts aimed at promoting equality of arms, OHCHR developed sustained cooperation with the Georgian Bar Association, and provided training that is now included in its list of professional courses for practising lawyers. OHCHR assistance in the justice sector has been grounded on relevant recommendations by United Nations human rights mechanisms. 13. The progress report on implementation of the National Strategy noted “significant scepticism in society as to the independence and impartiality of the judiciary”. 4 Contributing to the growth of this perception was the approach of the judiciary to the case of disputed ownership of the Rustavi 2 television station, the country’s most watched channel, which was generally critical of the Government. On 3 March 2017, the European Court of Human Rights issued, and on 8 March extended, an interim measure suspending until further notice the ruling issued by the Supreme Court of Georgia on 2 March to transfer the ownership to a previous owner. The Government of Georgia announced that it would implement that interim measure. 3 4 4 “Report on progress in the implementation of the National Strategy for the Protection of Human Rights in Georgia, 2014-2020, and recommendations as to future approaches”, prepared by an international human rights expert and available from http://ewmiprolog.org/images/files/4265ReportonimplementationHumanRightsStrategyENGEWMIUNDP.PDF. Ibid., p. 16.