Tbilisi. Georgian Democracy Initiative (GDI) responds to developments that took place on April 14, 2021, at the office of the Georgian Dream party and considers that police actions are aimed at unjustifiably restricting freedom of assembly, while applying mechanisms of criminal justice against activists is one more step taken towards an authoritarian regime. “We call on the Government of Georgia to stop criminal prosecution and use of repressive policies against civil activists for their protest within the framework of the right to assembly and manifestation and act in accordance with constitutional principles”, - is noted in the statement released by GDI. Read more… Source: The website of the organization

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Tbilisi. Social Justice Center states that the Government does not leave a space for dialogue around Namakhvani HPP. “Developments that took place yesterday were not the first case of demonstration of force against participants of a rally opposing construction of Namakhvani HPP. The Government, in official statements, declares its readiness for dialogue, on the one hand, while on the other hand, by mobilizing numerous police forces in the valley, imposing unjustified restrictions and violating rights of local population grossly, it contributes to escalation of the process itself and does not leave a space for substantive, constructive dialogue”, - is noted in the statement released by the organization. Read more… Source: The website of the organization

Tbilisi. Media Advocacy Coalition considers that the National Communications Commission once again goes beyond its authority. “We, Media Advocacy Coalition member organizations, consider that conducting an international audit of companies, measuring TV ratings, on the initiative and funding of the Communications Commission goes beyond the competence of the regulatory body and limits of the authority granted to it by law”, - is noted in the statement. Read more… Source:qartia.ge

Tbilisi. Group of Independent Lawyers, Rights Georgia and Social Justice Center address To Venice Commission of the Council of Europe.  “On April 1, the Parliament of Georgia adopted amendments to the Law on Common Courts, which also provide for changes in the procedure for the selection of judges of the Supreme Court by the High Council of Justice. Despite the fact that this legislative act is improving the standards of transparency and reasoning of HCOJ decisions, we believe that these procedural amendments cannot change the situation in the judiciary”, - is read in the address.  Read more…   Source: socialjustice.org

Imereti. The Kutaisi Court of Appeals announced its decision on the case of construction of a new mosque in Batumi and left the verdict of the Batumi City Court unchanged. The Court of Appeals agreed with the argument of the Batumi City Court regarding unlawfulness of a refusal of the Batumi City Hall to issue the first stage permit for construction of a new mosque in Batumi and discriminatory treatment of plaintiffs on religious grounds. Interests of a foundation to support construction of a new mosque in Batumi are defended in court by the Tolerance and Diversity Institute (TDI) and Social Justice Center (formerly EMC). Read more… Source: tdi.ge

Tbilisi. Non-governmental organizations have addressed US senators with a letter concerning the crisis in Georgia.  According to the letter, prolongation of the crisis in Georgia only benefits the Kremlin at a time when the country is facing serious geopolitical threats while resolving the crisis and ensuring the country’s democratic development are important factors for Georgia’s quick accession to the Euro-Atlantic structures.  Read more…   Source: osgf.ge

Tbilisi. The Open Society Georgia Foundation (OSGF) responds to developments that take place in the Rioni Valley. “We respond to developments, taking place in the Rioni Valley, and consider that it is not understandable and justifiable to set “block posts” in the direction of the village of Namakhvani and restrict freedom of movement for citizens of Georgia on the territory of the country. Besides, police dismantled tents of activists and the local population, where there was held a continuous, peaceful protest for 169 days. The argument, presented by the Ministry of Internal Affairs to justify this, does not meet basic requirements for interference with the right that is stipulated by the Constitution of Georgia and human rights standards”, - is noted in the statement released by the organization. Read more… Source: The website of the organization

Tbilisi. The Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) releases a statement in regard to developments around the Namakhvani HPP project. “It is almost six months now that there takes place a continuous peaceful protest in Georgia against the Namakhvani HPP project. During the last period of time, the state has intensified the use of various policy measures, including blocking the road from Kutaisi to Namakhvani. Almost 10 days have passed since the restriction of freedom of movement. The State has not presented any convincing argument so far to substantiate the legality of the restriction. Developments evolved alarmingly on April 11, when police dismantled tents of participants of the protest and, at the same time, restricted lawyers/human rights defenders and journalists to enter the area”, - is noted in the statement. Read more…  Source: The website of the organization

Tbilisi. By TI, the actions taken by the state in the Rioni gorge grossly violate constitutional rights and freedoms namely, freedom of movement and freedom of expression. “Other than this, the state has not yet pursued a proper policy and has not conducted an adequate dialogue with the population. It is alarming that the repressive police force has again been chosen as a way to address the issue. The police and the protesters have again been left face to face. By taking such steps, the state further deepens distrust of law enforcement agencies and damages their reputation in the eyes of the public. We call on the authorities to end the unjustified, disproportionate, and arbitrary restrictions on the freedom of expression and freedom of movement, to give the “Rioni Gorge Defenders” the opportunity to protest peacefully, and to choose a way of dialogue with the protesters to address the issue”, - Is mentioned in the information TI spared. Read more…  Source: The web-page of the organization

On March 30, this year the U.S. Department of State published 2020 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices. The reports are developed based on the information received from U.S. embassies and international missions and include the reviews of human rights practices in countries all over the world, among them Georgia. 2020 Country Report on Human Rights Practices in Georgia includes various topics, which constitute the main directions of IDFI’s work. Namely in the preamble of the report, it is highlighted that during 2020 some of the main areas of concern in Georgia were linked with the independence of the judiciary, political bias of prosecution and law enforcement, and the right to assembly and manifestation. Among the other topics, the report also refers to the problems in the direction of freedom of speech and expression and fighting against high-level corruption. Read more…  Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. The Public Defender makes a statement on events developed in Rioni Gorge. The Public Defender calls on the Ministry of Internal Affairs: To immediately give the protesters an opportunity to continue their rally at the alternative place suggested by them and if there is a justified reason for refusing to do so, allocate the kind of alternative place close to the desired location, which will not make the rally pointless. To provide the public with detailed information on the reasons and duration of the road closure in the village of Namokhvani. The Public Defender’s Office continues to examine the ongoing events and alleged human rights violations in the Rioni Gorge in detail. Information of the results of the examination will be additionally provided to the population. Read more…  Source: The web-page of the organization

Tbilisi. On April 9, 2021, information was spread about an assault on employees of Formula TV. In particular, according to the broadcaster, assaulters physically abused one of the employees of the TV channel and damaged another employee’s car. The victims link the attack to their activities in a critical media channel. The Public Defender condemns all forms of violence against representatives of the media and emphasizes the vital role of a free and critical media environment in a democratic society, as well as its special role in protecting the rule of law and human rights in the country. Read more…  Source: The web-page of the organization

Tbilisi. Media Advocacy Coalition responds to facts of attack on employees of a TV Company “Formula”. Media Advocacy Coalition member organizations call on high-ranking decision-makers, the Prime Minister of Georgia, Members of Parliament, and the Chairman of the Georgian Dream party to make open statements in support of media and to stop intensified attacks; take immediate preventive measures to ensure the safety of media representatives. Read more… Source: gdi.ge

Tbilisi. The Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics responds to released information about restriction imposed by representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs on journalists, according to which they are not allowed to enter Namakhvani and carry out their activities there. “The Charter of Journalistic Ethics calls on the Government to refrain from hindering the movement of journalists and provide them with access to information. We urge law enforcement agencies to avoid interference in journalistic activities and ensure appropriate working conditions for media”, - is noted in the statement. Read more… Source: The website of the organization

Tbilisi. Social Justice Center (formerly EMC), GYLA, and Green Alternative release a statement in regard to developments that took place on April 11 in the Rioni Valley. “The right to freedom of assembly and expression of participants of the rally against Namakhvani HPP has been restricted roughly and unjustifiably”, - is stated by the organizations, - “Besides, we consider that police actions, taken by the Government in recent days, have taken particularly severe and degrading forms, which should be stopped immediately and unconditionally, and actions of the Government should be brought back to the framework of protection of human rights”. Read more… Source: socialjustice.org

Tbilisi. Organizations, working on the rights of IDPs, respond to a tragedy that took place in Shamgona. “We, signatory organizations, convey our condolences to families of those deceased and express our concern over improper efforts of state agencies to protect rights of Georgian citizens living on occupied territories. It has been years that non-governmental organizations respond to facts of restriction of rights of citizens living on and around occupied territories as well as existing crisis situation there, and call on the Government to take effective actions”, - is noted in the statement. Read more… Source: gyla.ge

Georgia. Are you an enterprise carrying social or environmental values? Then you have the opportunity to take part in the first exhibition of social and green enterprises in Georgia.  Exposition is being organized within the EU4Youth: Social Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Development (SEED) for Green Growth in Borderline Communities”, which is being implemented by CENN in partnership with Green Lane (Armenia) and Kakheti Regional Development Foundation (KRDF) (Georgia).  Register here  Registration deadline: April 25, 2021  Read more…   Source: The page in the social network

Tbilisi. On April 7, 2021, rescuers found the bodies of 4 people in the Enguri River. According to the reports, the deceased persons were trying to move from occupied Gali to the territory controlled by the Georgian Government.  The Public Defender expresses her deep sorrow over the accident and offers her sympathy to the families of the deceased and calls on the Georgian authorities to increase pressure on the so-called occupation forces, with the assistance of the international community, in order to achieve the full opening of the so-called checkpoint for the entire population, as well as to revise the 5-day mandatory quarantine measures, which would alleviate the additional barrier to movement for the population of occupied Gali.  Read more…   Source: The web-page of the organization

Tbilisi. Organizations working on Namakhvani HPP issues respond to the defamation campaign of the company and the State and published the statement.  “We, the Social Justice Center (formerly EMC), Green Alternative, and Georgian Young Lawyer’s Association (GYLA), are deeply concerned over the fact that in response to our criticism, regarding fundamental violations committed during the implementation of the Namakhvani HPP project, gross human rights abuses, the concluded agreement essentially compromising state interests, non-transparency and institutional failures, the government refuses to engage in the dialogue and continues the infringement of the human right to assemble, to protect the environment, to use public space, as well as the right to freedom of expression and free movement in the Rioni Valley. Human rights infringements, in the recent period, are accompanied by disinformation campaigns and discrediting attacks on activists, civil society organizations, and experts who oppose the Namakhvani project implementation in this form”, - is read in the statement.  Read more…  Source: socialjustice.org

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Tbilisi. IDFI and Social Justice Center released a statement in regard to a report of the State Inspector’s Service. IDFI and Social Justice Center (formerly EMC) consider that in order to strengthen the State Inspector’s Service, it is essential to: Take prompt and effective legislative steps to separate investigative and prosecutorial functions; Increase the mandate of the State Inspector’s Office so as to bring all crimes committed by law enforcers to its competence; Extend the mandate of the investigative agency to possible breaches of the Minister of Internal Affairs, high officials of the State Security Service; Grant the State Inspector’s Service with the authority to apply a special protection measure, which provides solid guarantees for the safety of a victim, his/her close relative or family member; Provide the State Inspector’s Service with adequate material and human resources. Read more… Source: socialjustice.org.ge