Tbilisi. ISFED has presented the fourth interim report on social media monitoring. “It describes activities of Facebook pages of political parties participating in the elections and mayoral candidates of municipalities, as well as results of observation on anonymous and open Facebook pages operating for political and elections purposes, and other important trends”. Read more… Source: isfed.ge

Tbilisi. ISFED has presented the third interim report on social media monitoring. According to the report: “The website of Ana Dolidze was the most active among those of Tbilisi mayoral candidates. Interaction with posts shared on anti-opposition websites is almost 4 times higher than with those published on pages that act against the Georgian Dream. The highest amount for advertisements, about 127 thousand US dollars, was paid by the Georgian Dream. It is followed by the United National Movement (approximately 68 thousand US dollars) and Lelo (up to 36 thousand US dollars). Most of the ads on anonymous sites (188) were uploaded on pages that discredit opposition and costs for such activities vary from 2 520 to 2 619 US dollars”. Read more… Source:isfed.ge

Tbilisi. The purpose of IDFI’s following publication is to review the indicators of the Rule of Law Index in Georgia as of 2021, while comparing them to the previous years, to identify existing challenges, and to reveal underlying tendencies. Read more… Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. According to the Women’s Information Center, in 2017, there was ratified the so-called “Istanbul Convention” in Georgia. A group of experts on action against violence against women and domestic violence (GREVIO) at the Council of Europe carries out monitoring of implementation of commitments made. Within the framework of an assessment of the current situation in Georgia, in particular the problem of sexual violence, non-governmental organizations submitted an alternative report to GREVIO. Read more… Source: The website of the organization on a social network

Tbilisi. According to the review made by the Social Justice Center, the ten-year document of the State Strategy for Civic Equality and Integration does not envisage substantially new and crucial perspectives in terms of legislative, institutional and political changes that would contribute to creation of a more equal and equitable political and social environment for non-dominant ethnic groups. Read more… Source: The website of the organization on a social network

Tbilisi. Social Justice Center presents an analytical document that has been prepared by employees of the organization on the basis of observation of election processes in Kvemo Kartli and Samtskhe-Javakheti regions during the pre-election period and on the day of the elections. “This document is an attempt to see those main challenges, problematic approaches and the “different” environment, in which citizens of Georgia, representing non-dominant ethnic groups, have to make their choice”. Read more… Source:socialjustice.org.ge

Tbilisi. The Human Rights Center has published an interim report: “Monitoring of trials of allegedly politically motivated cases”. “The interim report reflects results of monitoring of trials of allegedly politically motivated criminal and administrative cases that took place from February 1 to August 10, 2021. The report also incorporates results of monitoring of court hearings on the fact of attack on a media representative due to his professional activities (allegedly on political grounds)". Read more… Source:www.hrc.ge

Tbilisi. According to information released by the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA), the organization demanded legal response to violations detected on the voting day and in the summary protocols in more than 350 cases. “GYLA demands recounting of data of all polling stations in the Isani district. The reason for such a demand is a circumstance, which has revealed various types of discrepancies in 4 cases at 5 recounted polling stations in the Isani district randomly selected in accordance with the obligation stipulated by law”. Read more… Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association within the framework of the Short-term Observation (STO) Mission provides the public with information about the events happening during the polling and the counting of votes.  “According to GYLA, procedural irregularities were observed at the various stage of the Election Day. The tense atmosphere in a number of polling stations during the day may have affected both the behavior of voters and the monitoring of the process itself. In some precincts, GYLA was deprived of an opportunity for monitoring; The facts of violating election regulations were revealed after the closure of polling stations too”. Read more… Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. Transparency International Georgia, the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy, and the Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics publish a joint report: Joint assessment of the pre-election environment of the 2021 municipal elections in Georgia. “As a summary, it can be stated that the pre-election environment was more or less competitive. All parties were able to run the election campaign, however, the ruling party enjoyed a greater advantage due to mobilization of administrative and other types of resources on its side. The pre-election environment got affected by a high number of facts of political pressure, threats, and dismissal from work or forced resignation, as well as by ineffective investigation of such cases by relevant state agencies”. Read more… Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. According to the Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI), recommendations of the Venice Commission on amendments to the Law on Electronic Communications have not been fulfilled yet. “IDFI calls on the Parliament of Georgia, the Government of Georgia and the Georgian National Communications Commission to take respective steps to reflect recommendations of the Venice Commission and ensure that both the evaluation of impact of regulation is prepared as well as the Law on Electronic Communications is brought in compliance with the conclusion of the Commission”. Read more... Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. According to the World Bank, in 2020, Georgia obtained the highest score in Regulatory Quality out of six dimensions assessed, which is also the highest result achieved by Georgia in this dimension over the years. However, regress is detected in almost all other areas. The evaluation of Georgia in the dimension of Voice and Accountability fell below half of the maximum rating; as for Political Stability, the country constantly has the lowest score in this dimension, which is not even close to half of the maximum rating. Read more… Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. According to information released by the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy, in the wake of election processes, there has been observed organized activation and/or creation of anonymous pages and fake accounts on Facebook, posting damaging information and disseminating it in groups in a coordinated manner. They attempt to create information chaos on issues related to the elections and mislead voters. As the organization considers, the purpose of the campaign is to artificially create a background as if absurd disinformation allegations are being spread about the elections and, thus, cover-up objective criticism. People behind this campaign try to create information chaos, confuse voters and discredit critical opinions. Read more…  Source: isfed.ge

Tbilisi. The Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) publishes a study: “Practice of proactive disclosure of public information at public institutions of Georgia (2021)”.  According to the findings of the study:  “In 2021, in compliance with requirements of the relevant legal act, only 6 public institutions have fully published information;  The lowest ratings among Central Government Institutions are held by the Government Administration (31%) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (36%).  The most problematic issue still remains to be the publication of information related to the management of finances”.  Read more…   Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. Transparency International Georgia publishes an interim report of the study on “Misuse of administrative resources for the 2021 municipal elections in Georgia”. Observation performed by the organization for the municipal elections from June 1 to September 25, 2021 revealed that misuse of administrative resources for the elections is still a problem for Georgia.  “Ineffective investigation of alleged cases of intimidation applied against employees of budgetary organizations on political grounds, dismissal from work and harassment of candidates of opposition parties, as well as the politicization of public institutions and large-scale mobilization of employees of budgetary organizations for election campaign purposes by the ruling party, use of budgetary programs for parochial party interests and other flawed tendencies are main challenges to a fair election environment”.  Read more…  Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. Social Justice Center, supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the Rule of Law in Georgia (USAID / PROLoG) project, releases a study on Access to Justice in Georgia.  The study conducted by Social Justice Center in 2020-2021 years has revealed that access to justice in Georgia has many dimensions. The main problem is the fact that the state does not have a unified vision in regard to the improvement of access to justice and fails to pursue effective policies in this regard. Read more… Source: The website of the organization

Tbilisi. Today, the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED) presented the second interim report for the official pre-election period of the 2021 local self-government elections.  The report covers the period from August 31 through September 21, 2021, as well as certain events, development of which began before August 31, continued further within the monitoring period or became known during the monitoring period. Read more… Source: The website of the organization

Tbilisi. Media Development Foundation the sixth annual report of anti-Western propaganda reflects the results of media monitoring conducted in 2020.  The study is carried out in partnership with the UN Association of Georgia (UNAG) within "Promoting Integration, Tolerance and Awareness Program in Georgia” implemented by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Read more…  Source: The website of the organization

Tbilisi. The Georgian Democracy Initiative (GDI) presents a report on the monitoring of parliamentary hearings of candidates nominated by the High Council of Justice of Georgia for vacant positions of judges of the Supreme Court of Georgia.  As stated in the report, - “It is true that the present competition was conducted on the basis of improved procedures and rules compared to a similar process in 2019, however, there were revealed no fewer shortcomings related to the content in the process itself. The difference between appraisal prepared by members of the High Council of Justice and actual results demonstrated during committee hearings was conspicuous. Candidates, whose personal or professional, as well as communication skills, were highly valued by members of the Council, often lost their temper during committee hearings and behaved inappropriately for their high judicial status”. Read more… Source: The website of the organization

Tbilisi. The Public defender of Georgia published a report – ‘Impact of COVID 19 pandemic on conflict-affected women and girls.   ‘The present report provides results of research conducted by the Public Defender’s Office of Georgia. The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on conflict-affected women and girls, to evaluate local safety policy in this regard, and to identify the needs of women and girls living in collective centers, near the dividing line and in the occupied territories , - we rad in the information spread by the Public Defender’s office, - ‘As part of the monitoring, interviews and focus groups meetings were held with the conflict-affected women and girls, representatives of international organizations and, international missions; also with the non-governmental organizations, working on the peacebuilding process.  Read more… https://www.ombudsman.ge/eng/akhali-ambebi/covid-19-pandemiis-gavlena-konfliktit-dazaralebul-kalebsa-da-gogoebze  Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. The Public defender of Georgia published a report - ‘Findings and Recommendations of Monitoring of Implementation of 2018-2020 National Action Plan for Women, Peace, and Security.   ‘The present report provides results of the Public Defender’s monitoring of the implementation of the 2018-2020 National Action Plan for Women, Peace, and Security. The purpose of the monitoring was to evaluate the implementation of the measures provided for in the Action Plan and the results achieved to identify shortcomings and main gaps’, - we rad in the information spread by the Public Defender’s office, - ‘As part of the monitoring, information was requested from state agencies implementing the activities under the Action Plan. Focus group meetings were held with women living in the IDP settlements and villages along the dividing line in various regions of Georgia. Meetings were also held with representatives of non-governmental organizations and self-governing bodies. Due to the limitations of the Covid Pandemic, the above-mentioned meetings were held online’.  Read more…  Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. The special report was drawn up on the basis of the visits paid to the assisted living facilities and orphanages for persons with disabilities. “The document discusses the living and infrastructural environment of the facilities, the rule of institutional upbringing, the lack of inclusive care and necessary educational-rehabilitation services, which ultimately lead to the formation of the syndrome of dependence on the institution and reduce the beneficiaries’ skills for independent living. The number of staff is not sufficient and in some cases they are unqualified; hygiene and sanitary norms are not properly observed, which makes the environment especially dangerous in the context of the Covid 19 pandemic. Meals are not diverse and it is necessary to address the issue of unavailability of clean water. Cases of violence are not properly identified, evaluated or responded. No anti-alcoholic or anti-drug efforts are made. Somatic and mental health are problematic, as well as directions of dental and psychosocial treatment. The protection of confidentiality was identified as an important trend”. Read more… Source: ombudsman.ge