information on the situation of implementation of the recommendation. However, the monitoring carried out by the Special Preventive Group in 2019 made it clear that the recommendation had not been implemented. In the third recommendation, the Public Defender demanded an increase in the number of psychologists and social workers. This recommendation has been endorsed by the Parliament of Georgia and has been reflected in its resolution. We have not received a reply to the letter40 sent to the Ministry of Justice of Georgia, in which we requested information on the situation of implementation of the recommendation. The Ministry of Justice, in its response to the report on the visit paid by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture to Georgia in 2019, says that 98 social workers and 28 psychologists were employed in the penitentiary facilities in 2018. The same letter reads that as a result of the reorganization carried out in 2019, the number of social workers decreased by 8 and the number of psychologists increased by 12. Based on the above, the recommendation can be considered partially implemented. The reply to the Committee also reads that the Ministry plans to increase the number of social workers (by 30 – on January 1, 2020, by 20 – in 2022, by 20 - in 2024). The fourth recommendation requests that the social workers, who do not have a bachelor's, master's/equivalent, or doctor’s academic degree in the field of social work, be retrained. This recommendation has also been endorsed by the Parliament of Georgia and has been reflected in its resolution. The reply received from the Special Penitentiary Service of the Ministry of Justice says that 13 employees participated in the social work certification in 2019 and 13 more employees will participate in the certification process in 2020. The Public Defender/Special Preventive Group positively assesses the steps taken to implement this recommendation. Accordingly, the recommendation can be considered partially implemented. The fifth recommendation requests the expansion of material-technical base of the social departments of the penitentiary facilities. This recommendation has been endorsed by the Parliament of Georgia and has been reflected in its resolution. Despite requesting information by the National Preventive Mechanism from the Ministry of Justice, no reply has been received from the Ministry on the situation of implementation of the recommendation. Consequently, it is impossible to assess the implementation of the recommendation. The sixth recommendation requests that persons deprived of their liberty in Establishments Nos. 2, 6 and 7 be allowed to be engaged in the rehabilitation activities like those placed in Establishment No. 8. Despite requesting information by the National Preventive Mechanism from the Ministry of Justice, recommendations offered in the 2018 Report of the National Preventive Mechanism. A repeated letter (N033/13394) on the same issue was sent on 12 December 2019. Nevertheless, no reply had been received to any of these letters during the reporting period. 40 Ibid. 28