Tbilisi. On February 11, 2021, the Constitutional Court took a decision in regard to the constitutionality of restrictions imposed during the pandemic. The Constitutional Court considered arguments of plaintiffs unsubstantiated and did not satisfy their constitutional claims. EMC critically appraises this decision and provides an overview of those main problematic aspects that, in the opinion of the organization, are contrary to the fundamental principles of the Constitution of Georgia. Read more… Source:emc.org.ge

Tbilisi. The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) and Green Alternative submit an appeal to the Tbilisi City Court to defend interests of local population and demand suspension of enforcement of the order of the Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, based on which a positive environmental decision on the cascade of Namakhvani HPPs was issued. Read more… Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. The Coalition for an Independent and Transparent Judiciary expresses its concern in regard to a decision taken by the Tbilisi Court of Appeals against Transparency International Georgia.  Tthe court considered opinions indicated by the organization in the study as defamatory. “We would like to emphasize that in case if this decision remains in force, there will be endangered the freedom of speech and expression as well as fundamental principles of activities of organizations protecting human rights in the country”. Read more… Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. According to Transparency International Georgia the decision by the Tbilisi Court of Appeals which ruled against the organization is unsubstantiated to such a degree that it raises questions with regard to the impartiality of the judiciary and threatens the high standards of the freedom of speech and expression established by the judiciary so far. “We hope that the Supreme Court will make an objective assessment of the decision made by the court of lower instance and that the court of cassation will maintain the high standard of the freedom of speech and expression it has established”. Read more… Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. Georgian Democracy Initiative (GDI), together with the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy, publishes a full version of an (ISFED) survey – “Democracy and human rights during pandemic and state of emergency”, carried out through the financial support of the Open Society Georgia Foundation. Survey... The survey contains a review of a legal framework for the management of epidemics; international experience; the constitutionality of restrictions imposed by the Government of Georgia. Source: gdi.ge https://csogeorgia.org/ge/newsPost/27066

Tbilisi. Civil Society Organizations release the joint statement on Nika Melia’s arrest. “We condemn this decision by the Georgian Government that will further aggravate the current political crisis in the country. We believe that the Georgian authorities could have defused the situation by legal and non-violent means. Regrettably, the authorities did not wait for the consideration of Melia’s appeal in the Court of Appeals and did not demonstrate the will to defuse the difficult situation and conduct the political process in a calm environment. In the current situation, it is important to avert further polarization in society and prevent civil confrontation. We call on the representatives of friendly countries and international organizations to react to these events appropriately. Today, as never before, Georgia needs the support of its Western partners because, if the situation escalates further, the country could lose everything it has achieved since gaining independence”, is noted in the statement. Read more… Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. According to information released by “Rights Georgia”, on February 8, 2021, the European Commission started consultations aiming at attaining information on measures taken by EU member states to eliminate gender-based violence against women and domestic violence. “Via conducting meetings the Commission intends to obtain relevant information in order to be able to improve its work on issues related to coordinated prevention and protection against violence. Those willing to participate in consultation have to get registered and filled out an online questionnaire”, - is stated on the website of the organization in a social network. Read more… Source: The website of the organization in a social network

Georgian Women’s Movement launches a lengthy campaign on the case of a 14-year-old dead girl #NinisGamo (DueToNini) Read more…

Tbilisi. Civil society organizations express their concern regarding a hardest case of suicide of a 14-year-old girl in Kobuleti Municipality and call on state agencies to investigate the incident in a timely manner. “Within the framework of the investigation, there should be examined responsibilities of all possible bodies/officials that had an obligation to support the victim as well as to carry out an investigation in the crime committed against her.  This case demonstrates hardest social practices of violence against women as well as signs of criminal indifference and inefficiency of police and social institutions. Despite numerous tragic cases of juvenile suicide, the state has not shown its willingness to make radical changes in existing policies, it pays insufficient attention to development and implementation of a suicide prevention strategy in general. The system remains extremely indifferent in terms of elaboration of an adolescent care policy as well as social and psychological support mechanisms”, - is noted in the joint statement. Read more… Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. Georgia Fair Labor Platform responds to the fact of non-payment of a deserved labor remuneration to twelve workers, employed during construction of a hotel in Gonio, considering it as theft of their salaries committed by the company “Labau Gonio” LLC. “Workers state that despite completing work, the employer company still does not pay their deserved salaries. Current salary indebtedness in favor of employees is about GEL 27 000.  We call on the Labor Inspection Office to start systematic work to eliminate an unlawful practice of misappropriation of labor remuneration of workers (stolen wages) by employers in Georgia and, within the framework of the new mandate, while inspecting labor rights of employees at their work places, set as one of the priority areas identification and legal responsibility of those employers who have applied the practice of stolen wages as a norm”, - is noted in the joint statement. Read more… Source:gyla.ge

Ajara. “Protect Batumi Boulevard” society protests against a plan of “Ambassador Batumi” Ltd to build a 16-story hotel on the old boulevard and publishes a manifesto for signatures: “Stop destruction of Batumi Boulevard”.  “Despite the fact that the 16-story hotel is completely inappropriate for the boulevard and directly contradicts legislation, as well as threatens and reduces the cultural and historical value of it, the project has already been approved by the Adjara Cultural Heritage Protection Council while the head of the Adjara Cultural Heritage Protection Agency intends to give his approval on its implementation.  It is our duty to stand up against this disorder and protect Batumi Boulevard from destruction. Following the above, we demand:  1. Stop construction of the 16-story hotel on the territory of Batumi Boulevard immediately and revoke an issued permit.  2. Suspend the issuance of a permit for any construction on the territory of the boulevard until a development plan of Batumi Boulevard is approved”, - is stated in the text of the manifesto.  At this stage, the mentioned manifesto is signed by about 3500 people.  Read more…  Source: manifest.ge

Tbilisi. In 2019, following the initiative of the members of the Gender Equality Council of the Parliament of Georgia, and with the support of USAID-PROLoG, the Government passed legislative amendments to regulate sexual harassment in the workplace and public spaces.  According to the amendments, the employer became obliged to take measures for equal treatment of all employees, as well as to include provisions on the prohibition of discrimination in internal regulations, and to ensure their fulfillment.  Read more…   Source: The web-page of the organization

Tbilisi. The Public Defender makes a statement on the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights for Georgia in the case of Georgia v. Russia (II).  “The above ruling of the European Court of Human Rights is of great legal and historic importance for Georgia. By this decision, the Court confirmed that the Russian Federation had exercised “effective control” over the territories of Abkhazia, South Ossetia, and the buffer zone from 12 August to 10 October 2008. After this period, Russia's strong presence on the territories of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, as well as the South Ossetian and Abkhazian de facto authorities’ dependence on and subordination to the Russian Federation, confirms that the Russian Federation continues to have "effective control" over these territories. At the same time, based on the court ruling, the Russian Federation has a legal obligation to ensure the safe return of internally displaced persons to their homes”, - Is mentioned in the statement.  Read more…   Source: The web-page of the organization

Tbilisi. The Georgian Young Lawyers” Association prepared a document – “Strategic litigation against the construction of large hydropower projects”.  “Large hydropower projects especially affect local population, change their living conditions as well as have an obvious and inevitable impact on the environment. “Analysis of construction projects shows that the process of issuing permits by the state is carried out with improper involvement of local residents, procedural and substantive shortcomings, which causes fair protests of the population”, - is stated in the document.  Read more…  Source: The website of the organization in a social network

Tbilisi. “Rights Georgia” addresses the Government of Georgia and demands to stop the extradition of a citizen of Georgia from Italy to Russia. “Rights Georgia” appeals to relevant authorities of Georgia to take effective steps in order to stop the extradition of Boris Tsiklauri, a citizen of Georgia detained in Italy, to the Russian Federation and return him to his homeland”, - is noted in the statement, - “Rights Georgia” calls on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia to take effective and timely steps to stop the extradition of Tsiklauri; the Embassy of Georgia in Italy - to provide support to the Tsiklauri family in the process of obtaining available legal assistance. “Rights Georgia” expresses its readiness to represent interests of Tsiklauri before the European Court of Human Rights once domestic legal mechanisms in Italy are exhausted”. Read more… Source: The website of the organization

The EU Spokesperson makes a statement on the judgement of the European Court of Human Rights. “The ruling clearly concludes that after 12 August 2008 the Russian Federation, exercising effective control over South Ossetia and Abkhazia, violated several provisions of the European Convention of Human Rights”, - is mentioned in the statement, - “Achieving justice and accountability is an important part of conflict resolution and the EU calls upon the Russian Federation to ensure the proper follow-up of the ruling. The European Union is fully committed to supporting conflict resolution, which also requires efforts to address the legacy of past conflicts”. Read more…  Source: eeas.europa.eu

Tbilisi. U.S. Embassy in Georgia published a statement on Judgement of the European Court of Human Rights. “In the state-to-state case of Georgia v. Russia on the 2008 Russia-Georgia War, the Court ruled clearly in favor of Georgia and found Russia responsible for violating multiple articles of the European Convention of Human Rights, including by detaining and torturing individuals, and denying Georgian citizens the right to return to their homes“, - is mentioned in the statement, - “The Court’s ruling adds further weight to the international community’s demand that Russia cease its blatant violations of Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Russia's attempts to control and exploit the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia through borderization, arbitrary detentions, restrictions of movement across the administrative boundary lines, and establishment of socio-economic and military "agreements” between Russia and the two Georgian regions are particularly concerning and unacceptable”. Read more…  Source: The page in the social network

Tbilisi. The Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center publish an overview of the January 21 decision of the European Court of Human Rights related to the August 2008 war. “On January 21, the European Court of Human Rights published a historic decision on the case of Georgia v. The Russian Federation, which contains an appraisal of issues related to the responsibility of the Russian Federation for practices of breach of human rights during and after the August 2008 war. In regard to this case, the European Court of Human Rights discussed the legal liability of the Russian Federation within the occupied territories for the first time and assumed that Russia has an actual control there due to the deployment of Russian military troops in these territories, political, military, humanitarian support to de facto authorities and agreements signed with them as well as other assistance practices. Therefore, the responsibility for facts of violation of rights in these regions falls within the jurisdiction of the Russian Federation. In this case, the European Court found that the Russian Federation breached a number of rights, including those to the prohibition of torture and ill-treatment, life, the prohibition of unlawful detention, privacy, movement, and property”. Read more… Source: The website of the organization

The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association explains a decision made by the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights on January 21, 2021, in regard to violations committed by the Russian Federation during the August 2008 war. The explanation covers all Articles, which Georgia was arguing with Russia about, and the consequences that the Strasbourg decision entailed. In the submitted complaint Georgia was affirming that Russia, applying it as an administrative practice, facilitated/allowed its armed forces and separatist groups under their control to carry out chaotic and disproportionate attacks on civilians and their property. Overall, the complaint concerned the violation of 8 Articles of the European Convention. Read more… Source: The website of the organization

Tbilisi. Public Defender makes a special statement on the situation in penitentiary establishments.  “In 2020, the Public Defender of Georgia published a special report, in which we talked about the fact that the management model of semi-open establishments was based on an informal hierarchy of prisoners, where the so-called "prison watchers" provide fictitious order, which aims to silence prisoners and prevent them from talking about their problems”, - is mentioned in the statement, - “The publication of this report was followed by public attacks on the Public Defender and illegal actions by the Minister of Justice and the Penitentiary Service, as a result of which, it has become not only difficult but also dangerous for the representatives of the Public Defender's Office to carry out visits and monitoring at the penitentiary establishments”.  Read more…   Source: The web-page of the organization

Tbilisi. Human Rights Center evaluates activities of a new department of the Prosecutor’s Office . The Human Rights Center has published an analytical document: “Vague perspectives on restoring justice – Evaluation of activities of a department on the investigation of the crime committed in the process of legal proceeding at the Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia”. The document of the Human Rights Center contains a review of cases of former political prisoners and other affected, which are part of case management of the organization and on which the new department of the Prosecutor’s Office, in turn, has been working for years: so-called Kintsvisi case, the case of Vakhtang Maisaia, the case of Davit Adeishvili and others. Read more… Source: The website of the organization

Tbilisi. According to information that the Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) releases, in its decision of December 25 related to the case – “Giorgi Keburia v. the Parliament of Georgia”, the Constitutional Court has taken positions of the plaintiff into consideration in the majority of cases and declared unconstitutional those norms of the Criminal Procedure Code, which allow to pass a verdict of guilty on the basis of evidences obtained through operative information only. The Constitutional Court also defined that while assessing lawfulness of a search, performed due to urgent necessity, court has to take into account only circumstances prevailing at the time of the search and does not have to pay attention to the outcome of the search. Read more… Source: emc.org.ge