Tbilisi. Coalition for an Independent and Transparent Judiciary, together with the Public Defender of Georgia, responds to recently announced information regarding establishment of an independent investigative mechanism and calls on the Government of Georgia to carry out the process in a timely and transparent manner, involving civil society in it. Read more… Source:The website of the Coalition

Adjara. Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) conducted a meeting with students. ''Within the framework of the meeting, representatives of the organization, together with students, discussed challenges and reforms taking place in the field of justice. Besides, they also talked about a systemic reform intended in the sphere of drug policy'' – is stated on the website of the organization in a social network. Read more… Source:The website of the organization in a social network

Tbilisi. The Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) publishes a study, in which procedures of asylum denial in Georgia are reviewed. As IDFI notes, ''due to the fact that neither asylum-seekers and nor their defenders possess information about why they have been denied an asylum, they do not enjoy the right of defense and fair trial, which is contrary to the requirements of the Constitution of Georgia''. Read more... Source:The website of the organization

Tbilisi. The organization ''Partnership for Human Rights'' (PHR) releases information, according to which the Personal Data Protection Inspector finds MIA to be a law offender. It concerns the case when the Ministry refused to give a citizen a document containing his personal data without any justification. It was PHR that addressed the Personal Data Protection Inspector regarding this issue. Read more… Source:The website of the organization

Tbilisi. For many years questions have been raised with respect to the lack of judicial discipline cases despite obvious signs of violations allegedly committed by judges. Reasons can be sought in the general and unforeseeable nature of grounds for judicial discipline as established in the legislation and selective application of disciplining mechanisms by the High Council of Justice. ''The ''Third Wave'' reform amendments introduced the institute of an Independent Inspector to increase trust in the system of judicial accountability and ensure objective and impartial examination of violations allegedly committed by judges. The first competition for the selection of an Independent Inspector was announced on May 8, 2017. The competition failed. The public is unaware of the reasons of failure as well as the names of applicants. The competition was re-announced on October 23, 2017. The public is still unaware of who is participating in the ongoing competition for selecting an Independent Inspector. The candidate interviews were closed and the civil society representatives were not allowed to attend. Full closure of the selection process raises questions with respect to the Council’s dubious interests in the competition outcomes and may undermine public trust in the selected candidate. The flaws of the regulatory framework attach greater importance to transparency of the process for selecting an Inspector who should gain trust in the society. Correspondingly, we are calling on the High Council of Justice to publish the applicants’ names and biographies as well as video recordings of interviews, since the interviewing process has already been completed'', is noted in the statement. In full… Source: www.coalition.ge

Tbilisi. On November 13, 2017, the Public Defender of Georgia sent a proposal to the High Council of Justice of Georgia on the improper performance of the judge's duties by a Tbilisi City Court judge. The applicant pointed in the application submitted to the Public Defender that the Court had considered a motion concerning the immediate execution of a judgment against him/her without oral hearing and granted it on the basis of Article 268 (1) (g) of the Civil Procedure Code of Georgia. In full… Source: www.ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. Non-governmental organizations release a statement in regard to a discrediting campaign of an ombudsman institute. ''Non-governmental organizations call on high officials of the government to refrain from making similar statements, thus contributing to diminishing and discrediting a public defender institute, particularly in the eyes of the international community'' – is noted in the joint statement. Read more... Source:gyla.ge

Tbilisi. The Tbilisi City Court has fully considered position of GYLA in regard to the case of torture committed against Irakli Khoperia, abolished a resolution of the Prosecutor of Tbilisi and reinstated the status of victim to Irakli Khoperia. The court has also ordered the Prosecutor's Office to continue the investigation and take all necessary investigative actions. Read more... Source:The website of the organization

Tbilisi. In the document prepared after monitoring the trials and studying the case materials, the Public Defender reviews the procedural shortcomings in the so-called Cyanide Case. In addition, the Public Defender once again reiterates respect for the court and does not assess the case evidence or the defendant’s guilt, which is the competence of the judge. The Public Defender will continue monitoring of the trial of the so-called Cyanide Case in Tbilisi’s Court of Appeal and hopes that other investigations launched by the Prosecutor’s Office into the abovementioned case will be impartial and efficient. In full… Source: www.ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. ''Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center'' (EMC) responds to the ongoing investigation of the fact of suicide of Amiran Kvirikashvili. ''The case of suicide of Amiran Kvirikashvili is very similar to that of Demur Sturua with its context. Both cases clearly demonstrate operation of a police repression system in peripheries, affecting the most unprotected people, whose lack of minimum living conditions, economic hardship and inaccessibility to the right to education is abused by the law enforcement system'' – is noted in the statement of the organization. Read more... Source:emc.org.ge

Tbilisi. The Georgian Young Lawyers' Association believes that the investigation on the death of Amiran Kvirikashvili must be conducted not by the Ministry of Internal Affairs but the Prosecutor's Office of Georgia. We call upon the relevant authorities to take appropriate measures immediately. ''We call upon the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia and the Prosecutor's Office to adhere to the requirements of the Georgian legislation as well as the standards set by the European Court of Human Rights and hand over the investigation into the case of Amiran Kvirikashvili's incitement to suicide immediately to the Prosecutor's Office of Georgia. In addition, the Prosecutor's Office should provide a comprehensive, fast and objective investigation of the case and inform the family members of the deceased as well as the public on the progress and results of the investigation'', is noted in the statement. In full… Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. The Georgian Young Lawyers' Association (GYLA) starts a new project – ''I-CHANGE portal related awareness raising and education campaign for the society''. ''The purpose of the project is to inform public about the new portal of petitions, which can be used by citizens of Georgia to submit a petition to the Government of Georgia and request changes'' – is stated on the website of the organization. Read more... Source:gyla.ge

Tbilisi. Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) publishes a post: Does a police officer have the right to photograph a person and what should we know in such case? ''Stopping a person and taking his/her photograph is one of the forms of police activity. However, it is important to know when and in what forms the police can use this mechanism'' – is stated on the website of the organization in a social network. Read more… Source:The website of the organization in a social network

Tbilisi. The union ''Sapari'' publishes a blog post, which states that the Human Rights and Civil Integration Committee of the Parliament unanimously adopted a petition demanding prohibition of sexual harassment. Read more... Source:parliament.ge

Tbilisi. On November 8, The Biltmore Hotel Tbilisi will host a conference ''Drug policy reform in Georgia''. Carrying out of the Georgian drug policy reform will be evaluated by representatives of the government and members of the civil society, while international experts will present an experience of other countries in this regard. Read more... Source:The website of the organization

Tbilisi. A citizen Davit Tsiramua has won a four-year legal dispute with the State Service of Veterans Affairs through the help of Teona Zakarashvili, a lawyer of ''Transparency International Georgia''. ''The Court of Appeals abolished an order regarding dismissal of Davit Tsiramua from work and charged the institution to reinstate him on an equivalent position and fully compensate missed salary, which, by this time, constitutes approximately GEL 100 000'' – is stated in the website of the organization. Read more… Source:The website of the organization in a social network

Tbilisi. On October 31, 2017, the Media Development Foundation (MDF) filed a lawsuit in Tbilisi City Court against the Georgian National Communications Commission (GNCC). The lawsuit claims that the Commission does not release the information about the revenues of broadcasters in the first and second quarters of 2017 (January-June), thus neglecting the financial transparency standard envisaged by legislation. In full  Source: The organization’s webpage

Tbilisi. Conference on Juvenile Justice progress and challenges as well as report on the criminal cases of children in conflict with the law and analysis of diversion cases is being held now in Prosecutor's Office of Georgia. Representatives of Prosecutor's Office of Georgia, Supreme Court, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Corrections, UNICEF, non-governmental organizations and scientists are attending the conference. Conference is being held with the support of UNICEF within the child-friendly justice system development project funded by European Union in Georgia. In full… Source: unicef.ge

Tbilisi. The Georgian Young Lawyers Association contests termination of investigation of a case of torture of Irakli Khoperia and the fact of depriving him of a status of victim. ''GYLA considers that resolutions, taken by the prosecution, are undocumented and do not respond to the important question regarding where and in what circumstances Irakli Khoperia got physical injuries'' - states the information posted on the website of the organization. Read more... Source:The website of the organization

Tbilisi. Non-governmental organizations respond to the fact that took place on October 25 on the Nutsubidze slope. According to the released information, health condition of a citizen deteriorated while having been detained by police, which resulted in his death. ''This tragic incident once again emphasizes the necessity of a systemic reform of police, which has to ensure establishment of a law enforcement institution that really serves people, is highly trusted by the society and evokes willingness to cooperate with'' – is stated on the website of the organization. Read more... Source:emc.org.ge

Tbilisi. Public Defender of Georgia Ucha Nanuashvili expresses his sorrow over the death of a person during his detention by police officers on Tbilisi’s Nutsubidze Plateau on October 25, 2017, and calls the Prosecutor's Office of Georgia to timely and effectively conduct all the investigative and procedural actions and launch criminal proceedings against the law enforcement officers if their illegal actions are proved. The Public Defender also responds to the statement of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia and the dissemination of video footage by them, which was a clear attempt to discredit the deceased person in the public. In full… Source: www.ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. On October 24, 2017, the Public Defender of Georgia addressed the Chairperson of the Supreme Court and the Secretary of the High Council of Justice with a proposal to initiate disciplinary proceedings against the judge who violated the norms of the judicial ethics during discussing the alleged ill-treatment of the defendants - B.Sh. and K.G. ''According to the Public Defender of Georgia, similar actions contradicts the judicial ethics, in particular, it violates the principle of performing duties fairly and honestly and prevents the establishment of public faith in the impartial and fair justice system'', is noted in the statement. In full… Source: www.ombudsman.ge