A study visit of students of the High School of Justice (HSoJ) to the headquarters of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg took place on 23 - 24 September 2014. The visit was organised in the framework of the Council of Europe project “Developing the capacity of the High School of Justice of Georgia” funded by a voluntary contribution by the Government of the Netherlands.

During the visit, students of the HSoJ learned about the work of different Council of Europe bodies and latest developments in the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) including against Georgia. Participants met with representatives of the European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ), Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA), European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT), Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights and others. They also had the opportunity to meet with Ms Nona Tsotsoria, Judge representing Georgia at the ECtHR and discuss issues related to the justice system in Georgia through the glance of relevant judgments delivered by the Court.

Participants also attended the Grand Chamber hearing in the case of Roman Zakharov v. Russia (no. 47143/06).

The study visit was funded through the Ordinary Budget of the Justice and Legal Co-operation Department, Directorate General Human Rights and Rule of Law.