Adjara. On May18, the branch of the Civil Society Institute and the association "Independent Journalists' House" have organized the performance, by which the Adjara-based CSOs have responded to the May 17 events. NGO and public representatives have read out the articles of the Constitution of Georgia, which emphasize the equality of all humans.

Tbilisi. NGOs have released the statement concerning the May 17 rally. "The state has failed to secure holding of the planned rally on the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia on May 17, thus infringing upon the freedom of assembly and manifestation in respect of the rally participants," – says the statement of NGOs.The statement is signed by Transparency International – Georgia, Georgian Democratic Initiative (GDI), Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC), Georgian Young Lawyers' Association, Article 42 of the Constitution of Georgia and the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED). For the full text. Source: page of the Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) in the social network.Sector – human rights.

Samegrelo. Deputy Public Defender of Georgia PaataBeltadze has met with the representatives of NGOs and media organizations on May 15 in Zugdidi. He has introduced the Human Rights Officer of the Zugdidi Office and the new employees of the Ombudsman's Office in Poti and the Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti Municipalities - Khobi, Tsalenjikha, Chkhorotsku, Martvili, Abasha, Senaki and Mestia.

Tbilisi. GYLA echoed the evaluations of the President of Georgia expressed at the May 10 meeting with the students, concerning ZuraVazagashvili. "Along with violating the presumption of innocence, unfortunately the President did not take into account the severe moral damage that his statements would inflict on the family members of deceased ZuraVazagashvili. Based on the appeal of Z. Vazagashvili's parents, GYLA will file a lawsuit in the Tbilisi City Court against the President in relation with infringement of ZuraVazagashvili's honor and dignity," says the statement. For the full text. Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. The representative of the Georgian Young Lawyers' Association has visited in the Gldani Prison seven persons detained on the Ministry of Agriculture case. "Four out of detained persons state that during the interrogation in the so-called Module building, prosecutor ShotaRizhamadze and the investigators have psychologically pressured and verbally insulted them. Interrogation would start in the evening hours and would go on even for 8 hours sometimes. According to the persons in detention, although they had to spend a lot of time in the Module building, the interrogation process itself would last for only an hour or hour and a half. Further, it is noteworthy that all of them were questioned as witnesses and without the attorneys' presence. Detained persons have reported about pressure from the prosecutor S. Rizhamadze before the trial court as well and requested his recusal from the case, but the judge has rejected the motion," – says the information released by GYLA, which believes that the facts of pressure and verbal insult of detained persons must be investigated. For the full text.

Tbilisi.The organization "Article 42 of Constitution" has echoed the May 12 manifestation of auto-motor fans and the fining of the owners of motor-transport by the Patrol Police on April 28. "Pursuant to Article 25 of the Constitution of Georgia, everyone has the right to public assembly without arms either indoors or outdoors without prior permission. According to the same article, the necessity of prior notification may be established by law in cases where a public assembly or manifestation is held on a public thoroughfare," says the statement released by the organization. "Article 42 of Constitution" calls on the Ministry of Interior of Georgia to develop concrete acts regulating the plates of motorcycles, upon need with participation of unions linked to this issue. For the full text. Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Adjara. On May 11, the association "Independent Journalists' House" has organized the discussion in the Batumi Press Cafe on "Political Prisoners about the Political Prisoners". After being granted the status of political prisoners, persons were released from imprisonment. Yet, the legal and psychological rehabilitation of political prisoners has still not occurred. The discussion participants have talked about the current state of political prisoners and the ways of their integration into the society.

Tbilisi. The organization "Identity" has held the press conference concerning the details of the 17 May rally. On the international day against homophobia and transphobia, the human rights organization protecting the rights of LGBT persons will hold the silent event/flash-mob in front of the old Parliament building, during which the event participants wearing the rainbow colors will protest the facts of discrimination against LGBT persons in Georgia. Source: media.ge

Tbilisi. At the initiative of the "Georgian National Platform of Civil Society" and the media representatives, the conference was held on April 27 in the "Radisson" Hotel on the "Civil Control for Prevention of Illegal Wire Tapping".Meeting participants have discussed the materials obtained as a result of illegal spying and wiretapping of citizens carried out by the previous authorities.The meeting was organized with support of the "Open Society - Georgia" Foundation. Source: osgf.ge

Tbilisi.Organization "Identity" has released the statement, which talks about "another hate-motivated crime committed a week ago in Tbilisi" against the concrete person. The organization notes in the statement that during last two weeks this is already the second hate-motivated crime that had taken place, and the victims of which have addressed "Identity"."Identity" calls on the investigative authorities to conduct timely investigation around this fact, identify the offenders and hold them criminally liable. For the full text. Source: identoba.com

Tbilisi. The Georgian Care Platform was presented on April 25. The Platform was founded in the beginning of April by the four thematic organizations - the Georgian Harm Reduction Network, Caritas Georgia, the Georgian Mental Health Coalition and the Georgian Homecare Coalition. The Georgian Care Platform aims to promote the introduction and development of the care approach based on human rights in the public health and social protection sector of Georgia.Source: page of the Homecare in the social network.

Tbilisi. The Analytical Center for Inter-Ethnic Cooperation and Consultations has organized on April 20 the presentation of the project "Eastern Partnership Minorities Network". The project presentation was preceded by the seminar with participation of representatives of the partner organizations, the Tolerance Center functioning with the Public Defender and the Ethnic Minorities Council functioning with the Public Defender. The seminar aimed to discuss effective models of protection of the minorities' rights at the example of the Ethnic Minorities and Religious Councils functioning with the Public Defender and to share experience among the partner countries in this respect. Source: tolerantoba.ge

Tbilisi. The Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) has released the statement in connection with the Tsikhisdziri incident."EMC expresses concern over this incident and views this fact as natural continuation of an anti-Muslim attitude noted recently among separate groups of the society. Due to frequent confrontations in respect of the religious groups, obviously this is not only one concrete misconduct. A systemic problem of the society is evident. This indicates to the state's obligation to carry out positive measures for enhancing tolerance and solidarity among the society," says the statement.The Statement. 

Tbilisi. The roundtable meeting was held on April 16 as part of the project "Strengthening Knowledge on the Trafficking Threats by Promoting the Education". The project is implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) with the support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).The meeting aimed at getting familiar with the current activities and future plans of the partners participating in the prevention of trafficking.Source: GINSC portal.

Tbilisi."Article 42 of the Constitution" has presented the study on the  – "Evaluation of Application of the International Human Rights Standards by the Common Courts of Georgia towards the Cases of IDPs". Representatives of Article 42 of the Constitution have examined as part of the project 270 decisions rendered by the courts of all three instances. The study covers the problems of eviction, compensation and granting of status. The project was implemented with the support of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Source: article42.ge

Tbilisi. Transparency International – Georgia has released 7 comments on the planned amendments to the Labor Code, covering the following issues: fixed-term contracts, collective and individual labor contracts, remuneration of overtime work, holidays, burden of proof, collective labor contract, origination of the right to strike/lockout. For the full text. Source:transparency.ge

Tbilisi.NGO "Trainers' Qualification Center" has developed a new social video on the issues of persons with disabilities. It focuses on issues such as equal rights to information, movement, education.Source: page of the Youth Center for Independent Life in the social network.

Guria. Members of the Youth Center functioning with the "Union of Young Teachers" have organized an event to celebrate the World Health Day.The event aimed at attracting public attention to the problems of children's health existing in the country and the state's responsibility in respect of protection of children's rights.

Tbilisi. ISFED has released another set of information on the dismissal of employees from the local self-governments. The organization has learned that 30 employees were dismissed from the Sagarejo Municipality as a result of reorganization. The organization has already addressed the Sagarejo Municipality Gamgeoba to obtain information concerning this issue."It is unfortunate that the local self-government services still pursue the allegedly politically-driven dismissal of employees and the recruitment of new cadres without competition, on the so-called "acting” positions. We believe that the authorities should timely prevent such unjustified practices,” says the information posted by the organization.For the full text.Source: the organization’s page in the social network.

Tbilisi. The Public Defender has submitted to the Parliament the report on the protection of human rights and freedoms in Georgia in 2012.The report covers a broad spectrum of the rights and freedoms and reviews the state of protection of the civil-political, economic, social and cultural rights. "The report describes the general trends of human rights protection in the country and the concrete facts of violation of the citizens' rights and freedoms," says the report. The Report. Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. NGOs express concerns over the disseminated information concerning the verbal and physical insult of GYLA employees by the Head of the Adjara Department of the MoI Valerian Telia in Batumi. "We believe that the action of the Head of the Adjara Regional Police of the Ministry of Interior includes elements of the crime. Based on the information at our disposal, instead of timely and objective investigation of this fact, unfortunately there is an attempt of covering up a crime and carrying out an incomplete investigation," says the statement.NGOs urge the Ministry of Interior to investigate this case timely, fully and impartially. For the full text: Source: facebook.com/IDFI.official

Tbilisi. The Georgian Young Lawyers' Association has released another statement in relation to the incident in Batumi. GYLA expresses concern about the disseminated information, according to which the authentic evidence depicting the evidence - video material - was destroyed. "We believe that this case tests the approach of the Ministry of Interior towards the offences committed by its own employees", says the statement. In view of the importance of above circumstances, GYLA demands a meeting with the Minister of Interior. For the full text. Source: gyla.ge