The USAID Rule of Law Program supports awareness-raising activities that help citizens engage with justice system representatives.

On August 29, the Prevention for Progress (PFP) and the Civil Engagement and Activism Center organized a meeting of Marneuli residents with Rustavi City Court judge Madona Maisuradze. The action was part of the Rule of Law Program-supported project “Awareness Raising about Judicial System in Marneuli and Bolnisi Municipalities,” which raises public awareness about access to justice and the importance of a fair trial among the ethnic minorities living in the municipalities of Marneuli and Bolnisi.

In her presentation, Judge Maisuradze spoke about the stages of court hearings, case consideration, and specifics related to the hearings in regions where ethnic minorities live. In particular, Judge Maisuradze emphasized the problem of language barriers and the lack of professional interpreters. According to the judge, interpreters are vital as they help the parties fully comprehend the hearing process in a language he/she understands.

The local coordinator of the Program-supported project, Nashir Ordukhanov, said: "In our society, such meetings are very important as there is a lack of information on judiciary-related issues. I think the meeting was fruitful, especially for young people, who were very active and asked questions about court proceedings and jury trials." One of the participants, who works with the IDP community, noted that in many cases citizens cannot protect their rights because of the limited knowledge about the judiciary.

Over 30 participants attended the meeting and had the opportunity to get the answers to their questions directly from the judge. Attendees were interested in how jury trials work, who can become a court interpreter, and why court hearings start with delays. At the end of the meeting, the judge urged the attendees to always fight to protect their and others' rights.