Tbilisi. The U.S. Embassy in Tbilisi releases the statement. “Last week, the ruling party undermined government accountability by abolishing the State Inspector Service, which is mandated to investigate police abuse and protect data privacy, undermined the independence of individual judges by amending the Law on Common Courts, and undermined faith in the judiciary by appointing yet another Supreme Court judge using a flawed selection process. No credible reasons were provided to the public for why these actions needed to be rushed through without appropriate consultations. Steps that weaken democratic institutions, such as the judiciary or independent oversight agencies, damage Georgia’s aspirations for NATO and European Union membership, and undermine the basic freedoms that are the foundation of Georgian culture and society”. Read more… Source: The Embassy’s page on the social network

Tbilisi. The Parliament of Georgia is considering an amnesty draft law submitted by Mikheil Sarjveladze. An alternative amnesty draft law will also be submitted to the Parliament by the Lelo Party. “The Public Defender of Georgia welcomes these initiatives and hopes that the Parliament will consider and adopt the amnesty law in a short period of time, which will be in line with the basic principles of criminal justice and the positive obligations of the State towards victims and will apply to a lot of prisoners, who have been in the penitentiary system during the Covid pandemic”. Read more… Source: www.ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. The Public Defender of Georgia echoes the return of Mikheil Saakashvili to Penitentiary Establishment No. 12. “The Public Defender’s representatives obtained medical records and talked to the facility’s doctor and administration, who noted that no ill-treatment had taken place during the transfer. The Public Defender believes that the state council should be actively involved in the process of managing Mikheil Saakashvili's health condition and the recommendations issued by the Public Defender’s group of experts should be implemented“. Read more… Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. EU Delegation responds to expedited procedures in the Georgian Parliament relating to the State Inspector's Service and the Judiciary. “The State Inspector’s Service is Georgia’s independent mechanism for investigating ill-treatment and abuse of power committed by law enforcement officials and is thus a key institution for a well-functioning democracy and for the protection of human rights. The European Union was engaged in the creation of this Service and has invested substantial financial and human resources in its development. We are, therefore, very disappointed to see these actions, and regret the fact that it has not proved possible for EU representatives to engage with the Parliament on this matter," stated Asunción Sánchez Ruiz, the acting Head of the EU Delegation to Georgia. Learn more… Source: eeas.europa.eu

Adjara. According to the Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI), the website of the Supreme Council - sca.ge has been adapted with the facilitation of the Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) within the framework of the project - “Consolidating Parliamentary Democracy in Georgia”. The Projects is implemented with the support of the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). “On the adapted website it is possible to change text and background, color, font with a special reader program, the installation file of which is located on the website; it is possible to read the text; the website also allows to post info materials with synchronized subtitles”. Read more... Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. The Social Justice Center publishes a report examining contemporary forms of non-standard and informal employment in Georgia. “On the one hand, it contains local knowledge about labor, social and human rights related situation of informal and non-standard employees; while on the other hand, it also presents a survey of those engaged in informal and non-standard employment”. Read more… Source: socialjustice.org.ge

Adjara. According to information released by the Social Justice Center, in high mountainous Adjara, like in other regions, there was heavy snowfall during recent days and part of villages has been left without power supply for 2-3 days, roads are closed too. “Severe winter is typical for high mountainous Adjara and upper villages often appear isolated due to poor infrastructure. Regardless these weather conditions, high mountainous Adjara is not served by a dedicated ambulance, which would provide prompt emergency medical service to citizens in case of necessity”. The organization has been demanding the state repeatedly to create an appropriate medical infrastructure for high mountainous Adjara in order to provide emergency medical care to citizens. Read more… Source: The website of the organization on a social network Photo: Shorena Shavadze

Tbilisi. According to information released by the Social Justice Center, the authority granted to the Government to impose restrictions for coronavirus prevention is extended until 2023. “Resolving such fundamental issues related to human rights is the constitutional authority of the Parliament of Georgia. While the “Law on Public Health” envisages transfer of this authority entirely to the Government, which is equivalent to refusal of the Parliament to perform its legislative function and legalization of a de facto state of emergency in the country”. The organization considers that the Parliament should not limit itself to the automatic extension of the deadline for delegation of authority to the Government and should thoroughly arrange the scope of authority of the Government in the pandemic management process. Read more… Source: socialjustice.org.ge Photo: parliament.ge

Tbilisi. The Public Defender of Georgia publishes a special report on the legal status of the children of the St. Nino orphanage in Javakheti Ninotsminda. "The results of the study showed that despite the steps taken after the events of spring 2021, the boarding school still faces a number of challenges, both in terms of producing documentation for the institution and caregivers, as well as assessing and meeting the individual needs of minors, including bio-psycho-social needs. The issue of communication and exchange of information between agencies and institutions working with children is problematic and ineffective, which has a negative impact on the process of meeting the needs of minors and is against their interests," the study said. Read more…  Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. The Social Justice Center presents an evaluation made by the organization in regard to the state of religious freedom and non-dominant ethnic groups in the country in 2021. “We witnessed social conflicts with religious and ethnic connotations in our country this year as well, which fact again failed to draw attention of the Government to positive transformations and substantial reforms in the policy of equality and integration. Moreover, pre-election processes in regions densely populated by ethnic minorities and efforts of the Government to use them as a political tool once again demonstrated political arrangements for retention of a weak policy of integration of these regions, their exclusion from democracy and peripheralization”. Read more… Source: socialjustice.org.ge

Tbilisi. The Social Justice Center presents an evaluation: What the rights-related situation was in conflict regions in 2021. “In 2021, the situation in conflict regions has not improved. Critical rights-related challenges keep complicating the daily lives of people living here. Discriminatory practices against ethnic Georgians continue to take place in Gali and Akhalgori. In 2021, teaching in the Georgian language was completely prohibited at schools of Gali. This decision virtually completed the process of Russification at schools Gali, which started years ago. There is the same situation in the Akhalgori education sector. It is still impossible to improve the regime of traffic with conflict regions, which fact resulted in a number of tragic consequences in 2021”. Read more… Source: socialjustice.org.ge

Tbilisi. During the Human Rights Week, representatives of the Eastern and Western Georgia Regional Divisions of the Public Defender's Office held information meetings with target groups of the municipal centers and introduced them to the general principles of human rights and the mandate of the Public Defender. “The participants showed particular interest in the impact of the Covid 19 pandemic on human rights and the practice of the Public Defender in terms of elimination of the challenges and problems identified”. Read more… Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. The European Network of National Human Rights Institutions and its partners have issued a joint statement in support of the Public Defender of Georgia. “Due to its recent work, the Georgian Public Defender (Georgian NHRI) has faced continued verbal threats and attacks by prominent politicians. We call on the Georgian Government and Parliament to uphold the clearly defined international principles, and protect the Georgian NHRI from intimidation, threats, or any actions that may limit its independence and effectiveness.  Indeed, they have a duty to ensure that institutions that monitor the state are protected from undue interference, and are not hindered in their work to promote and protect human rights, equality, good governance, and the rule of law”. Read more… Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. The Social Justice Center presents a summary evaluation of labor policy in Georgia. “2021 developments have once again highlighted the systemic, severe experience of breach of human rights and visible or invisible practices of exploitation of employees in the workplace, which facts are connected with inconsistencies and fundamental shortcomings in labor policy. Above developments were not only individual labor disputes but also general social protests against the existing economic and social system, which has so far failed to ensure minimum wellbeing and social security of those employed”. Read more… Source: socialjustice.org.ge

Tbilisi. According to information released by the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association, the European Court has ordered Georgia to pay 193’500 Euros for violation of rights on the IDAHO day in 2013. Court cases were handled by the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association, the Women’s Initiatives Supporting Group, Identoba and The European Human Rights Advocacy Centre (EHRAC). “The state has been ordered to pay 193’500 Euros as a compensation in favor of applicants. At the same time, the decision envisages a number of general measures, in regard to which the complaining organizations will further communicate with the Committee of Ministers, as the international body supervising execution of decisions/judgments”. Read more… Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. On December 9-14, 2021 IDFI’s Winter School "Rule of Law and Human Rights" was held. “The aim of the school was to enhance students' knowledge of the rule of law and human rights, to encourage discussions on problematic issues, to exchange views and to strengthen democratic values”. Learn more… Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. The Social Justice Center publishes a critical appraisal of the working version of a Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy (for 2021-2030 years). The appraisal has been prepared jointly with the Partnership for Human Rights (PHR) and the Georgian Association of Social Workers (GASW). “Regardless important areas underlined in the document, there are a number of challenges and barriers in the field of mental health that are completely missed or inadequately highlighted in the working version of the strategy, while addressing these issues should become an undisputed priority for the Government. Such issues include restoration of rights of people living in institutions, implementation of a legal capacity reform, family strengthening matters, awareness raising, and etc. It is important to make sure that identification of these and other problems in the draft strategy as well as refinement of this document are carried out, first of all, with active involvement of people with psychosocial needs and organizations working on the issue”. Read more… Source: socialjustice.org.ge

Tbilisi. According to information released by the Center for Strategic Research and Development of Georgia (CSRDG), there has been prepared a guidebook on rights-based social service to be used for undergraduate and graduate academic programs in social work. “The purpose of the guidebook is to assist social work practitioners, lecturers and students in enactment of a new approach in social work practice, which is based on human rights”. Read more… Source: The website of the organization on a social network

Tbilisi. According to the information of the Public Defender, on December 10, 2021, on the occasion of the Human Rights Day, a human rights forum was held to discuss inequalities that jeopardise democracy in Georgia and hamper Georgia’s progress towards a fair and just society. “The message of this year’s Human Rights Day is: "All human, all equal". The forum discussed three main areas where pandemic has particularly deepened social and economic challenges: 1. gender equality, 2. legal and social protection of the LGBTQI+ community, and 3. inclusion of ethnic and religious minorities”. Read more… Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. The Women’s Initiatives Supporting Group (WISG) launches a new project: “Advocacy of gender and sexuality issues in digital and academic spaces”. “Within the framework of the project, we aim to problematize discrimination on the grounds of gender identity/sexual orientation and the so-called “conversion therapy” practice in the field of mental health, as well as to introduce LGBTQI+ affirmative approaches through facilitation of ethical practice and research”, - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more… Source: The website of the organization on a social network

Tbilisi. In connection with International Human Rights Day, the Social Justice Center publishes an annual report on the human rights-related situation.  “The country entered the year of 2021 on the background of a continuous political crisis, which had not been defused by either the April 19 political agreement, signed through the mediation of international partners or the 2021 local self-government elections. In the agenda based on a political crisis, there appeared to be completely missed out the following issues: alarming human and social consequences of the pandemic; the dire social and economic situation existing in the country, which further aggravated on the background of an unprecedented scale of inflation; reforms aimed at protection of human rights and equality”, - is stated in the report. Read more… Source: The website of the organization

Tbilisi. “Georgian Democracy Initiative” presents a report – “Human Rights in Georgia 2021”. The report contains a review of the situation in terms of protection of human rights in Georgia in 2021. In the document, there is a thematic overview of main developments and occurrences of the current year, which expose the extent to which the Government of Georgia fulfills its obligations in the field of human rights and the rule of law. Read more… Source: The website of the organization