Tbilisi. The Public Defender’s Office of Georgia launched examination of an incident that occurred in St. Barbare Church in Tbilisi. "...On October 14, 2014, the media sources disseminated information with regards to robbery of the church and damage inflicted on holy relics in the church. ...Later on the public Defender of Georgia will inform on the results of the examination of the above issue". For the full text Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. CSO "Radarami" has presented the translation of Kwame Anthony Appiah's "The Honor Code: How Moral Revolutions Happen". The organization has published Georgian translation in September and organized presentations in Ozurgeti, Batumi and mountainous Adjara. Editor Shota Khinchagashvili has presented the book. Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Tbilisi. At the initiative of "Transparency International – Georgia", a discussion was held together with foreign citizens present in Georgia over consequences of stricter emigration regulations. "Numerous foreign citizens were affected by introduction of the new regulations, including individuals who lived in Georgia for years without any problems", says the organization's web page in the social network. Up to 80 participants of 15 countries have participated in the discussion. They have discussed their experiences and created difficulties. This meeting aimed to obtain information on problems of these individuals, following which the organization plans to address the authorities with concrete recommendations. Source: the organization's web page in the social network.

Tbilisi. On October 7, the South Caucasus Regional Bureau of the Heinrich Boll Foundation has hosted a round table on the "Availability of archive-museum space for Soviet researches". Representatives of the National Archive of Georgia, the Archive of the Ministry of Interior, National Center of Manuscripts, the Literature Museum, Soviet Past Research Laboratory, members of the Parliament of Georgia and the Personal Data Protection Inspector have participated in the meeting. The participants have discussed the current policy on historic memory, legislative base that provides necessary framework for carrying out Soviet researches, the condition of the archive funds and the archive space infrastructure. In addition, the format of future cooperation between parties interested in promoting the Soviet past research was discussed. Source: web page of the Boll Foundation in the social network.

Tbilisi. The presentation - "Stalin Lists from Georgia" - was held on October 8 in the National Library. This is the first online database that includes brief biographies of over 3600 individuals, as well as information on the victims of the "Great Terror". The Institute for the Development of Freedom of Information has collected the "Stalin Lists from Georgia" in 2011-13. For the full text. Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Tbilisi. The Tolerance and Diversity Institute and the Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center have presented on October 8 the joint study - "Practices of funding of religious organizations by the central and local authorities". The study examines the volume and purpose of financial resources, immovable and movable property, transferred by the state to religious unions, including the Georgian Apostolic Autocephalous Orthodox Church in 2013 and beginning of 2014 (January-April); as well as the change in funding policies after the ruling authorities were replaced. "Study results show that the funding policy of religious organizations gives absolute advantage to the Orthodox Church. Material support of the Orthodox Church by the central and local authorities reaches great volumes, the need for it often is not upheld by public interest, while the volume is not based on reasonable, measurable and objective criteria", says the study. For the full text (geo) Source: emc.org.ge

Tbilisi. The Institute for the Development of Freedom of Information has released a summary newsletter of the organization's activities. It briefly describes the activities carried out by the Institute in September. For the full text (geo) Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. The Deputy Minister of Defense of Georgia Tamar Karosanidze and the Director of LEPL Cyber Security Bureau of the Ministry Andria Gotsiridze have met with CSO representatives. At the meeting held in the Ministry of Defense, the participants discussed the objectives and tasks of the Cyber Security Bureau, as well as the issues of national cyber security and international cyber space. The Head of the IT Department of the Cyber Security Bureau Giorgi Datukishvili has presented to guests the trends of cyber incidents in 2014-2015. Later the meeting continued in a question-and-answer mode. Representatives of the defense agency have listened to recommendations of the civil sector and expressed desire to increase cooperation in this respect. Source: the Ministry of Defense.

Tbilisi. The organization "Young Barristers” will prepare the research on the legal issues of Sakdrisi-Kachaghiani monument. "There still continues discussions in the society regarding the issue of Sakdrisi-Kachaghiani monument, however, the issue should be evaluated legally. It is essential, that the society get acquainted broadly with the legal aspect of the issue". The "Young Barristers” will publish the results of the research on legal issues of Sakdrisi-Kachaghiani monument status in November. For the full text Source: barristers.ge  

Tbilisi. IDFI published the article - "The Rationale Behind Stricter Visa Regulations in Georgia". IDFI decided to look into the rationale of amending the migration policy, and on September 12th reffered to the government of Georgia with the FOI request. "This article based on the official documents received from the government of Georgia, sums up the arguments of adopting a restrictive visa regime in Georgia and informs the reader on the process of adopting the applicable legislation". For the full text Source: idfi.ge  

Tbilisi. The South Caucasus Regional Bureau of the Heinrich Boll Foundation and the National Library of the Parliament of Georgia will present online data base "Stalin Lists from Georgia" on October 8 at 18:00. The data base includes brief biographic data on over 3600 individuals.The Institute for the Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) has implemented the "Stalin Lists from Georgia" in 2011-13 in partnership with the Ministry of Interior of Georgia and international society "Memorial", with financial support of the South Caucasus Regional Bureau of the Heinrich Boll Foundation and the Swiss Embassy in Georgia. For the full text. Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Tbilisi. The Georgian Young Lawyers' Association has released information on successful cases in September. Info on nine cases was uploaded on the organization's web page. For the full text Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. The Public Defender started investigation within the scope of its competence of a incident that occurred between the police and Mirza Gochuadze at the Youth Avenue in Kutaisi, on September 4, 2014, which resulted in the death of above-mentioned Gochuadze. "The Public Defender of Georgia expresses its sorrow for the incident and believes that it is important for investigative bodies to ensure quick, effective and non-biased inquest. The Public Defender’s Office will be involved in the process of monitoring of the investigation. At that, due to a high public interest towards this case, in the coming days the Main Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia will provide the public with comprehensive information on the fact". For the full text Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. Representative of the Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) has met with students on October 3, and namely the students from the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences of the Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University. The discussion evolved around the rights of the employed in Georgia and the state policies on the homeless. Source: the organization's web page in the social network.

Tbilisi. CSO "Young Barristers" addresses the executive, legislative and judicial authorities with a set of recommendations. Further, the organization demands "systemic assessment of and effective reaction to facts of infringement upon property in 2004-2012". For the full text Source: barristers.ge

Tbilisi. Georgian Democracy Initiative, Media Development Fund and Tolerance and Diversity Institute released a joint statement. "On September 30, 2014, youth association Free Generation carried out an attack on the office of NGO Free Zone as a result of which individual members of the organization sustained physical injuries and the office infrastructure was damaged. ...We call on the Chief Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia to immediately investigate the facts mentioned in the statement of the detainees’ lawyer and, if they are confirmed, to take adequate measures in relation to the police officers". For the full text Source: gdi.ge

Kakheti. The Council of Europe group of experts has visited yesterday the Vashlovani protected area in Dedoplistskaro. The visit aimed to grant the European diploma to the Vashlovani protected area. The guests have met in the reserve's office with representatives of the Farmers' Association and CSOs, as well as local authorities. The parties have informed each other about projects associated with the Vashlovani Reserve.The group of experts will draft a report that will serve as a basis for decision on granting the European diploma to Vashlovani.

Shida Kartli. Charity Humanitarian Center "Apkhazeti” has won the contest announced by the Ministry of Justice. Projects aim to assist former inmates and relate to two areas – support of traineeships and facilitation of starting up a small business. The project is aimed at assisting former inmates and supporting resocialization. Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Tbilisi. The Human Rights Center demands from the Prosecutor’s Office to interrogate inmate on the cases of the Lapankuri special operation and death of Zurab Zhvania. "The Human Rights Center addresses the Chief Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia to interrogate Teimuraz Gvaradze in presence of the attorney, verify facts and circumstances that the inmate refers to, and to ensure measures of protection for him as the witness facing danger, as well as to react adequately to facts of torture and inhuman treatment described by him”. For the full text (geo) Source: www.humanrights.ge

Tbilisi. Transparency International - Georgia published a report - "European best practices on government telecommunications surveillance". "This report provides an overview of some of the legal powers that various European government agencies have in order to request the assistance of telecommunication companies with conducting real-time interception and the disclosure of data about their customers". For the full text Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. The Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center has submitted an administrative claim in respect of the decision of the Internal Audit Department of the Ministry of Education and Science. "By this decision, the Department has failed to establish the participation of the School #2 administration and teachers in acts driven by religious hatred against the Christian organization of Jehovah's Witnesses in Terjola in the beginning of June 2014, as well as their control/organization of the schoolchildren's behavior at the rally. ... Given the scale of problem of religious indoctrination and intolerance within the education system, we hope the Ministry of Education and Science will lawfully and effectively react to this case and ensure taking adequate preventive measures, including special measures on tolerance and prohibition of discrimination in the Terjola School #2", says the organization's web page. For the full text. Source: emc.org.ge

Tbilisi. CSO "Young Barristers" have filed a civil suit in the Tbilisi City Court against the Vice Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia Murman Dumbadze, requesting from the MP the retraction of information damaging business reputation. For the full text Source: barristers.ge