E/CN.4/2006/6/Add.3 page 5 Committee against Torture, the Georgian Medical Association, the Georgian Young Lawyer’s Association, the Human Rights Information and Documentation Centre, the Liberty Institute, Open Society - Law Programme, Penal Reform International, the Rehabilitation Centre for Victims of Torture “Empathy”, as well as lawyers and forensic experts. 6. The Special Rapporteur met with Mr. E. Svanidze, the Georgian member of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and representatives of international organizations present in Georgia, including the European Union, the International Committee of the Red Cross, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the United Nations Country Team. 7. In Abkhazia, the Special Rapporteur met with the de facto Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, Mr. G. Leonid, and the director and deputy director of the detention facility of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. He also met with representatives of the United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) Human Rights Office of Abkhazia, Georgia; representatives of NGOs, including the Foundation for Civil Society and Man of the Future, the Centre for Humanitarian Programmes and the Abkhaz Red Cross; as well as lawyers and the media. 8. In South Ossetia, the Special Rapporteur met with the de facto Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. M. Djioev, the Human Rights Plenipotentiary, Mr. D. Sanakoev, the de facto Minister of Justice, Mr. M. Chigoev, and the heads of the departments of the penitentiary and human rights compliance of the Ministry of Justice, as well as the Head of the Tskhinvali Field Office of OSCE, Mr. G. Gantchev. He also met with representatives of NGOs, including the Association of South Ossetian Women for Democracy and Human Rights, and Law Above Power. 9. The Special Rapporteur expressed his gratitude to the excellent cooperation of the Government in relation to his visit, including facilitation of meetings and full compliance with the terms of reference for the visit. He also expressed his appreciation for the assistance of the United Nations Resident Coordinator, Mr. L. Clark, and Ms. N. Cherkezishvili; the UNOMIG Human Rights Office of Abkhazia, Georgia, in particular Mr. V. Stefanov, Ms. A. Buehler and Ms. I. Nizhynska; OSCE, in particular Ambassador R. Reeve, Ms. I. Muth and Mr. J. Plantiveau; and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, in particular Mr. S. Syed, who accompanied the Special Rapporteur on the visit. I. LEGAL FRAMEWORK A. International and regional levels 10. Georgia is a party to the major United Nations human rights treaties prohibiting torture: the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Georgia has also ratified both Optional Protocols to ICCPR. It is also a party to the Geneva Conventions, of 12 August 1949, and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.