Tbilisi. The Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) critically appraises an action of the Government to demand lists of clergy and parishioners from non-dominant religious organizations. As EMC considers, with this decision, the state actually forces people to reveal their religious affiliation. “Besides, the state will obtain access to the number of clergy and parishioners, as well as to their places of living. In the circumstances when the trust of religious organizations and communities in the State Agency for Religious Issues is very low and it is considered as an agency connected with security services, it is problematic that the Government attempts to use again control techniques and methods to communicate with religious organizations and interfere in their autonomy”. Read more… Source:emc.org.ge

Tbilisi. USAID commends ISFED for taking the initiative to thoroughly review its parallel vote tabulation (PVT) data and transparently share the findings of its internal audit. “As a professional and reputable civil society organization with a responsibility to provide transparent information, ISFED undertakes its own data quality assurance processes to ensure the integrity of the findings as a standard practice. This is in accordance with international best practice when variance exists in PVT data. We support the efforts of all organizations and institutions involved in election monitoring to be as thorough and transparent as possible. We appreciate that ISFED has done so in this complex post-election environment”. Read more… Source: The organization’s page in the social network

Tbilisi. IDFI participated in the webinar organized by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). The event provided a platform to generate open discussions and build capacity among relevant stakeholders on the potential of open data in enhancing good governance in public procurement. During the event IDFI discussed the system of public procurement in Georgia and the remaining challenges in regards to the availability of procurement-related information in open-data format. Read more… Source: The organization’s page in the social network

Tbilisi. The Human Rights Center has published a collection of analytical documents related to monitoring of supposedly politically motivated cases.  The collection contains 6 analytical documents prepared during 2020: Appraisal of ongoing criminal cases against Giorgi Ugulava; Legal analysis of criminal cases related to June 20-21, 2019 developments; Legal appraisal of ongoing criminal cases against Irakli Okruashvili; Legal analysis of the criminal case against Giorgi Rurua; Legal appraisal of the ongoing criminal case against Nika Gvaramia; Problems related to distance legal proceedings in the circumstances of the coronavirus pandemic and the state of emergency. See the collection in full... Source: The website of the organization in a social network

Tbilisi. The Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) publishes a report on a study: Labor relations and social protection during the pandemic. “Population of Georgia was extremely unprepared for the economic crisis entailed by the pandemic. The state policy was not determined while institutions were unable to provide systemic social assistance to affected individuals and families during the pandemic. An anti-crisis social policy, developed at the state level, did not appear sufficient to ensure social protection for people with a significantly reduced income or those left without income at all”, - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more… Source: emc.org.ge

Tbilisi. Transparency International Georgia publishes the blogpost: Is Georgia a Captured State. “Georgian civil society organizations have talked about the problem of informal governance in Georgia for years. In 2018, this assessment was made even graver when international organizations also began to raise concern about democratic backsliding and signs of state capture. Evidence accumulated by the end of the second term of the Georgian Dream’s governance is sufficient to argue that corruption in Georgia has assumed the form of state capture. As it stands today, a single person keeps a firm grip on Georgia’s executive government that has been made free of democratic checks and balances through weak Parliamentary oversight and an unofficial pact of no interference and mutual support with an influential group of judges in complete control of the judiciary. Without holding any official position of public accountability, Bidzina Ivanishvili has successfully managed to place key Georgian public institutions, including ones supposed to be independent by law, in the service of his private business interests and security”. Read more… Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. The Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) has reviewed a draft budget of Georgia for 2021. “In the circumstances when it is expected to encounter 6% decrease in the economy and mentioned decrease has not been observed historically at such a minimal level since the 1990s (even during the 2008 war), it is particularly important to know how adequate and flexible steps of the Government in the part of social assistance of population are going to be”. The main findings of the research are high risk of lack of tax revenues in the budget, increase of the national debt, increase of administrative costs, high rate of social expenditures... Read more… Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. Georgian Democracy Initiative presents a report, which aims to provide a brief review of problems and challenges existing in Georgia in 2020 in terms of protection of human rights and freedoms. “The document contains a review of issues related to both civil as well as political rights and the rule of law. In the country, indicators of the degree of protection of both specific constitutional rights and the rule of law are primarily individual cases and developments, which reflect, on the one hand, the will and, on the other hand, the ability of the Government to fulfill its constitutional obligations. It is namely the review of individual cases/developments that a larger part of the document is devoted to”, - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more… Source: gdi.ge

Tbilisi. According to Government Defence Integrity (GDI) Index 2020, Georgia has received a score of 60 out of 100, placing it in the category of having a moderate risk of corruption in the field of defense.  In the document, published by Transparency International – Defence & Security (TI-DS) is said: "Georgia shares this risk category with 5 more countries from the Central and Eastern Europe region[1]: Lithuania, Estonia, Poland, Bosnia, and Herzegovina and Northern Macedonia. Latvia has received the highest score – 67 (low risk) and Azerbaijan the lowest – 15 (critical risk)". Read more… Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. According to the appraisal of the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association, delegation of the authority by the Parliament of Georgia to the Government of Georgia to determine quarantine measures, leaving a number of vulnerable groups out of the anti-crisis plan of the Government, disregarding human rights in environmental decisions, appointment of judges of the Constitutional Court to their positions through non-transparent and unbalanced procedures, uncertainties in regard to publicness of criminal proceedings, carrying out the 2020 parliamentary elections with violations and other points were among problematic issues during the year. The organization positively appraises amendments made to the Labor Code of Georgia, which have somewhat improved labor rights of those employed. Read more… Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. Transparency International Georgia releases a statement on International Anti-Corruption Day. “Although cases of petty corruption are still rare in Georgia, high-level corruption remains to be an unresolved problem, which is a significant factor hindering development of the country. ...Neither in past years and nor in 2020, the Government of Georgia has taken appropriate steps to eliminate shortcomings of the anti-corruption system, legislation and politics of the country".  The organization calls on the Government to take effective steps towards strengthening the role of the opposition, reformation of the judiciary system, ensuring independence of the Prosecutor's Office... Read more… Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. According to information released by the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association, on December 7, the National Communications Commission published a statement and called on broadcasters to not transmit programs containing obscenity, otherwise it would apply the authority stipulated by law. “We consider that the Commission, referring on protection of rights of citizens, attempts to regulate broadcasters, authority of which is not granted to it by law. The Commission notes in the statement that it is possible to carry out a judicial review of a program containing obscenity, and since its decision is subject to a judicial review, it also has the authority to regulate the content of such a program. Mentioned reasoning of the Commission does not follow from either the “Law on Broadcasting” or the decision of the Constitutional Court that allows a judicial review of a program containing obscenity”, - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more… Source:gyla.ge

Tbilisi. Take a look at the study of TI about Openness and transparency of the Parliament of Georgia in 2015-2020.  A study of Transparency International Georgia contains an evaluation of achievements and challenges of the Parliament of Georgia in regard to openness and transparency from the date of signing the Declaration on Parliamentary Openness to the present day (April 30, 2015 - October 31, 2020). “Despite the fact that the Parliament has taken significant steps to improve transparency, there are still remaining a number of challenges in regard to access to parliamentary information, citizen engagement, and openness of parliamentary activities”. Read more… Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. Kelly Degnan, the US Ambassador to Georgia, expresses her appreciation to Transparency International Georgia for its contributions to the electoral process. “Your commitment to meeting international standards will help build an electoral process Georgian voters can have confidence in. You have my sincere thanks for pursuing this challenging and vitally important work with such dedication and professionalism”, - writes the Ambassador. Read more… Source: The website of the organization in a social network

Tbilisi. As the Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) updates, on November 19, Trace International released new indicators about the risk of corruption in business. “According to 2020 data, Georgia ranks 28th among 194 countries with 25 points of risk of business corruption. In 2019, Georgia ranked 27th among 200 countries with 26 points, which was identical to the 2018 figures and deteriorated compared to 2017 data, when Georgia ranked 25th among 200 countries with 23 points. These data show that the risk of business corruption has been gradually increasing in recent years. Though the last year this risk is reduced by one point, in international ranking Georgia has still moved one level back”, - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more… Source:idfi.ge

Tbilisi. The Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) publishes an open data guidebook for civil servants. “Open data facilitate development of civic monitoring mechanisms, improve public welfare and effective use of state resources. The purpose of the guidebook is to provide civil servants with practical information about data collection, processing, analysis, publication and storage. Improvement of their qualification in this regard will help public institutions address data processing related challenges and use existing resources effectively”, - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more… Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. This special report has been written by the Office of the Public Defender of Georgia within the framework of the femicide monitoring mechanism. The report contains an analysis of crimes committed in 2014-2015 years.  “In 2014, the number of murders of women on the grounds of gender was particularly high. Due to the tragic scale of murders of women, this year marked a turning point in raising public awareness about femicide, and from that period onwards, there began active work on improvement of response to facts of violence against women and domestic violence. From 2014 to date, as a result of joint efforts of agencies, international and non-governmental organizations, a number of steps have been taken to combat violence against women and domestic violence. Respectively, in the recommendations part of the report there have appeared only those issues, which so far remain a challenge”, - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more…  Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) publishes a document containing an evaluation of the Law on Occupied Territories.  “Exactly 12 years have passed since the adoption of the Law. During this period, the Government of Georgia, in parallel with the existence of the Law, made numerous attempts to offer new peace proposals to unlawful regimes of occupied territories. However, as Thomas de Waal writes, an “unusual strength of de facto regimes” left almost no room for such offers. Along with peace initiatives, the Law on Occupied Territories also became more humane as a result of gradual changes. However, it is debatable to what extent it created an opportunity for positive transformation of the conflict and emergence of human rights and humanitarian perspectives in that process. The purpose of the article is to analyze stages of development of the Law, human rights and humanitarian dimensions and its place in the unified peace policy”, - is stated in the material. Read more… Source:emc.org.ge

Tbilisi. The Office of the Ombudsman developed a special report within the framework of the femicide monitoring mechanism. The document contains an analysis of crimes committed in 2018. “The purpose of the monitoring is to analyze each case of gender based murder, murder attempt and leading to suicide of women in order to identify shortcomings of the mechanism for protection of victims of violence and those affected so as to further improve and develop these mechanisms. Despite the fact that cases of femicide and femicide attempt, occurred in 2018, were analyzed within the framework of the 5-year monitoring report, and taking into account recent trends, we considered it necessary to issue a special report separately”, - is stated on the website of the Public Defender.  Read more… Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. Money laundering risks in Georgia have existed and discussed by relevant international organisations as well as strategic partners. Money laundering risks of Georgia has been discussed by the US State Department for years.  “According to the last US State Department report bank fraud and cybercrime are significant generators of illicit proceeds in Georgia, while social engineering schemes are also used to commit mass marketing fraud. The general economic situation in Georgia, which is far from being a developed economy, forms fruitful ground for money launderers to find front men. At the same time, the unchecked growth of the gaming industry, including internet gaming, is concerning”. Read more… Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. The Norwegian Helsinki Committee and Human Rights Center are closely following the developments after the October 31, 2020 Parliamentary Elections in Georgia, in which the population of Georgia elected its supreme legislative body through universal and direct vote for the tenth time since gaining independence. The October 31 Parliamentary Elections had a particular historic significance – through constitutional amendments in 2020, the electoral system was substantially changed, increasing proportionate parliamentary representation. This was a major democratic development and an achievement of all parts of society. “On Election Day there was a mass mobilization of supporters and so-called “coordinators” of the ruling party around the polling stations. The actions of some of these groups were hindering free expression of the will of voters. It should be noted that Human Rights Center did not detect many violations during the voting process. However, there were significant inaccuracies revealed in the final protocols which summed up the results of the voting from Precinct Election Commissions throughout the whole country, including imbalances between the number of voters who came to the Elections and the number of the ballots cast”. Read more… Source: humanrights.ge

Tbilisi. International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED) is going to observe the second round of the 2020 parliamentary elections, which takes place on November 21. 35 mobile groups of ISFED will be monitoring the elections in 17 majoritarian constituencies. The observation mission of the organization is going to be limited on the second round. “The boycott of the parliament by opposition parties and refusal to participate in the second round of the elections significantly make no sense to observe the election process at polling stations. Besides, taking into account problems occurred in the healthcare system on the background of the growing number of people affected with the COVID infection, presence of observers at polling stations throughout the day poses unwarranted risks to their health”, - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more… Source: isfed.ge