Tbilisi. The Georgia Fair Labor Platform is investigating mass layoffs at museums run by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth Affairs, which appear to have targeted employees for their critical views and/or trade union membership. The member organizations of the Fair Labor Platform are currently investigating the legality of the dismissal and reorganization of staff from the museum system. If necessary, we will provide legal support to members of the Trade Union of Science, Education and Culture, in addition to protecting the labor rights of other persons employed in the Ministry of Culture. Read more… Source: socialjustice.org.ge

Racha-Lechkhumi. According to the information of the UNDP Georgia, The Social Inclusion Centre in Ambrolauri is one of the few places in Georgia to provide people with disabilities with space for social activities, professional skills development and equal employment opportunities. “Initiated by UNDP with support from the UN Fund for Sustainable Development Goals (SDG Fund), this life-changing enterprise is being developed in partnership with the local self-government and a community organization “Together for Real Change”. The project has also received support from the embassies of Poland and Bulgaria”. Read more… Source: www.undp.org

Tbilisi. Following the announcement of Nika Gvaramia's verdict, the media agency - Ongo.ge, an agency mimicking the credible media agency -  on.ge, released "exclusive" information that allegedly Salome Zurabishvili will pardon Nika Gvaramia and that this was agreed in advance with the leaders of the United National Movement. The information was spread on pro-governmental media pages on Facebook and anonymous Facebook pages at intervals of several minutes. Read more… Source: isfed.ge

Tbilisi. The Coalition for Independent and Transparent Judiciary would like to comment on the guilty verdict delivered against Mr. Nika Gvaramia, director of Mtavari TV. "The ruling represents another concerning example of pressure exerted on critical media organizations, raising questions regarding the legitimacy of the ruling and showing signs of selective and politicized justice. The flawed administration of justice, which significantly affects and degrades the existing media environment and standards of protection of human rights and freedoms in general, further aggravates the political crisis and deepens the polarization in the country. At the same time, it fails to ensure stable democratic development and has a negative impact on the ongoing crucial processes of European integration”. Read more… Source: socialjustice.org.ge

Tbilisi. Transparency International Georgia publishes the blogpost: Who is the Presiding Judge on the Nika Gvaramia Case? “Lasha Chkhikvadze has been a judge for 15 years. Lasha Chkhikvadze was involved in a car accident that took place on January 22, 2015. Six cars collided in the accident, several people were injured and one died. The prosecutor's office denied that “any manipulation is taking place in the terminated case, as well as influencing someone, specifically Judge Lasha Chkhikvadze”. Zaza Gvelesiani, a witness in Nika Gvaramia’s case, was a close friend of a judge. Zaza Gvelesiani is the director of the media holding that manages Rustavi 2. Although Judge Chkhikvadze did not deny his close friendship with Zaza Gvelesiani, he did not grant the motion to dismiss himself from the case.  The criminal cases of Gigi Ugulava, Bacho Akhalaia, and Irakli Okruashvili are linked to the name of Judge Chkhikvadze”. Read more… Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. The LEPL Agency for state care and assistance for the (Statutory) Victims of Human trafficking has shelters and crisis centers that provide support services to people (With children) who have experienced: Domestic violence Violence against women Sexual violence Human trafficking. Hotline 116 006 operates in 9 languages, including Ukrainian. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Tbilisi. Non-governmental organizations express solidarity with Nika Gvaramia and Mtavari Arkhi team. “The decision of the Tbilisi City Court of May 16, 2022, and the imprisonment of Nika Gvaramia is perceived as a warning and threat to other independent media outlets to stop critical coverage of the government’s performance, to cease watchdog activities and to refrain from the disclosure of facts that are undesirable to the government. The imprisonment of the General Director of a critical media outlet, including on the basis of managerial decisions, is yet another example of selective investigation, prosecution and conviction. We think that these kind of developments may have a negative impact on Georgia's European integration process”. Read more… Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. May 17 is International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, which aims to condemn violence and express solidarity with LGBT+ people. However, LGBT+ people and their supporters have not been able to celebrate this day publicly for years due to the risks of violence and lack of state guarantees of protection. Although the visibility of the LGBT+ community has increased over the years and the discriminatory attitudes in the society have decreased, this process is not accompanied by a consistent or thoughtful state policy. Moreover, the legal inaction of the State encourages inequality towards LGBT+ people in almost all areas of public life, fails to improve their quality of life and leaves them vulnerable to violence and discrimination”. Read more… Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. According to the Social Justice Center, the security and rights of LGBT(Q)I persons remain susceptible to vulnerability. “Despite the long history of fighting for the recognition of LGBT(Q)I persons, the real protection of the security and rights of LGBT(Q)I persons and the high level of social homophobia, which has a serious impact on the daily, public and private lives of LGBT(Q)I persons, remains a significant challenge in Georgia. The dramatic events surrounding the recognition and realization of political rights over the past 10 years show the state's demonstrative indifference, political homophobia, and its dire experience of tolerating violence. This policy has severely damaged and continues to impair the opportunities for the development of a democratic, peaceful, and pluralistic society, and has created numerous social crises. For years, the government, political parties, the church, and other actors have been trying to politically instrumentalize LBGTQI people and LGBT(Q)I issues, and this dominant policy has often led to the deprivation of LGBQI people of their lives, dignity, and future”. Read more… Source: socialjustice.org.ge

Tbilisi. On May 11, 2022, the Public Defender of Georgia and Prevention for Progress, a non-governmental organization, presented a joint report “Impact of Covid 19 on the Health and Other Rights of Prisoners and Staff of the Penitentiary System”. The study assesses the impact of special measures taken by the Special Penitentiary Service from March 2020 through 2021 on the rights situation of prisoners. “The results of the study show that restrictions were overused during the pandemic period and no appropriate efforts were made to find possible alternative solutions. No appropriate steps were taken by the state institution to reduce the number of prisoners”. Read more… Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbillisi. The Social Justice Center is representing Aida Balafkan's legal rights. Aida Balafkan, a British citizen on an academic visit to Georgia on April 26, 2022, was arbitrarily denied entry into the country by the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs. This Ministry decision is another example of allegedly discriminatory and arbitrary border crossing regulations. The decision, among other things, impedes academic interaction and worldwide cooperation in this regard. Read more... Source: socialjustice.ge

Tbilisi. On May 6 held the presentation of two studies on public attitudes toward LGBTQ people and their human rights and legal protection in Georgia. “The LGBTQI people remain one of the least protected and most marginalized social groups in Georgia. They face discrimination and violence, while the protection and realization of their rights remain a challenge.  On the other hand, recent research reveals that negative public attitudes towards the LGBTQI community have been decreasing in the last five years. A series of studies were conducted with assistance from the Government of Sweden and the United Nations support. The event was organized with support from the Swedish Government and three UN agencies – UN Women, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)”. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Adjara. In Batumi, on May 5, 2022, the disabled peoples’ organizations Changes for Equal Rights and the Coalition for Independent Living in frames of the EU-funded project Civil Society for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Georgia hosted a panel discussion aiming at marking the European Independent Living Day. “The theme of event was Independent Living of Persons with Disabilities, Challenges and Support Services. The meeting brought together disabled activists and leaders from the Independent Living Centers to discuss the challenges persons with disabilities face and to learn more about the services the centers provide to them”. Read more… Source: eu4georgia.eu

Tbilisi. Public Defender submitted alternative report on enforcement of rulings taken against Georgia by European Court and UN Committee on Elimination of Discrimination against Women to Parliament of Georgia. “The alternative report reviews the general measures taken by the State to enforce the rulings delivered by the European Court of Justice against Georgia in the following cases: Tsintsabadze Group, Identity Group, N.Ts. and Others v. Georgia, Amiridze v. Georgia, and Merabishvili v. Georgia. In addition, the report assesses the general measures taken against Georgia by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women in the case of Khanum Jeiranova. The document analyzes the adequacy of the steps taken by the State for the enforcement of the rulings”. Read more… Source: ombudsman.ge

Social Justice Center,s report envelopes the administered cases and their respective analyses within the framework of the project "Legal Aid Network for Activists" in the period from the beginning of 2021 through March 2022. see more... source: socialjustice.org

Tbilisi. Check out Transparency International Georgia's blog on a new draft of government-initiated changes to parliament. “The reflection of the new changes proposed by the government in the legislation unjustifiably increases the power of investigative agencies to obtain the confidential information of persons by bypassing judicial control”. Read more… Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. With the Legal Assistance of “Rights Georgia”, the Iranian Citizen Won the Dispute in the Tbilisi Court of Appeals. “Mariam Magradze, a lawyer of "Rights Georgia", represented the beneficiary interests before the Tbilisi Court of Appeals within the framework of the IOM project -“COVID-19 and Needs of Migrants in South Caucasus”, implemented with the support of the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (BPRM)”. If you are a Migrant in Georgia and need legal counseling, please contact "Rights Georgia": (+995) 577 28 22 77  Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Kakheti. According to the information of Georgian Young Lawyers Association person fired due to reorganization has won a dispute with the Telavi Municipality City Hall. GYLA represented and protected the person's interests. “The court of all three instances found that the dismissal did not comply with the requirements of the law; therefore, Telavi Municipality City Hall was instructed to reinstate the dismissed employee to the equivalent position and reimbursement of the outstanding salary from January 30, 2018, until the day of reinstatement in service”. Read more… Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. A meeting on the rights situation of women and girls representing non-dominant ethnic groups in Georgia was held in cooperation with the Public Defender’s Office and the United National Population Fund (UNFPA) on April 28, 2022. Two special reports were presented at the event. “One report concerns sexual and reproductive health and rights of women and girls of ethnic minorities; the second report reviews the harmful practice of early/child marriage in Kvemo Kartli and key findings of the study of the relevant attitudes. The study showed that a number of social-cultural factors, primarily gender roles and sexuality-related stigma, often lead to the violation of sexual and reproductive rights of women and girls of non-dominant ethnic minorities. Another problem is lack of information, which is further exacerbated by the language barrier”. Read more… Source: www.ombudsman.ge 

Tbilisi. Civil Society Organizations respond to the ongoing events associated with the deteriorating health of the imprisoned third president of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili. “We believe that an urgent decision must be made to ensure proper treatment for him, including the provision of medical care abroad. We would like to remind the public that according to the conclusion of the alternative medical council created under the auspices of the Public Defender of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili’s health condition has deteriorated. He suffers from serious physical and psychological health problems linked to anorexia and post-traumatic stress disorder. Accordingly, the prisoner should be immediately provided with proper medical care. Any further decisions should exclude considerations of political expediency. Instead, the relevant institutions should be guided only by the standard of protection of the right to life, health, and personal safety. In view of the above, we demand that the third president of Georgia be immediately provided with the medical services necessary to ensure his fundamental rights to life and health, which the state is legally obliged to protect under constitutional and international law”. Read more… Source: osgf.ge

Tbilisi. The signatory non-governmental organizations, give a critical assessment to the draft amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code that were initiated by members of the parliamentary majority. “The draft law makes it possible to wiretap citizens for an indefinite period in the event of an ongoing investigation under a number of articles of the Criminal Code without notifying them of the fact of wiretapping. Whereas there is no effective statutory mechanism for control, the proposed amendments substantively deteriorate the standard of protection of private life and make it possible for investigative agencies to wiretap citizens for an indefinite period”, is noted in the statement. Read more… Source: socialjustice.org.ge