Tbilisi. Transparency International - Georgia has released October 6 edition of audio podcast of parliamentary news. Topics of the podcast are: terms of powers of acting self-government servants are adjourned to the end of the year; compensation granted to victims of repressions increases from 200-500 GEL to 1000-2000 GEL; legislative initiative "on Freedom of Speech and Expression"; debates between the majority and minority over location of the Parliament Podcast Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. The Human Rights Center has released a statement, by which it "urges the authorities of Georgia to express interest in the legal status of aliens in respect of access to grounds for granting a residence permit". For the full text. Source: humanrights.ge

Tbilisi. Registration of persons/entities willing to participate in projects of CSO "Citizen" has launched today. "Citizen" has presented two projects – "Civil Education Olympiad" and "Students for Self-Government" on October 6. "Civil Education Olympiad" aims to promote civil values among schoolchildren. Second project - "Students for Self-Government" aims to involve youth in the civil society development process, enhance local democracy, and promote the idea of self-government among the youth. For the full text. Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Guria. A meeting was organized on October 6 at the initiative of the Ozurgeti Youth Center in the office of the "Young Teachers' Union", aimed at discussing current problems and prospects with respect to tourism in the region. Heads of the Ozurgeti Municipality Services for the City, Sports, Youth and Tourism and foreign volunteers have attended the presentation. Along with invited guests, youngsters have discussed the attractiveness of Guria for tourists and what must be improved in the region in this respect.

Shida Kartli. Active members of environmental clubs (clubs of eight public schools of the Gori Municipality) set up by the charity humanitarian center "Apkhazeti", who are preparing for the schoolchildren's conference on environmental issues, were on a field trip to forest tracts in the Ateni Valley on October 5. Field trip was organized so that schoolchildren could receive consultations on spot on issues of interest to them - schoolchildren were accompanied in the forest by the heads of their clubs as well as environmental protection experts and the local forestry farming specialist. The activity was implemented as part of the project - "Youth Participation and Development", funded by USAID and implemented in partnership with UNICEF

Tbilisi. The Public Defender once again assesses the developments around the opening of the Muslim education institution in Kobuleti and calls on the relevant authorities to take active steps. "Since September 10, 2014, a representative of the Public Defender has many times visited the Kobuleti municipality where he/she met with local Muslim and Orthodox Christian residents". Next week the Public Defender plans to visit Ajara to study the situation on the place. For the full text Source: ombudsman.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 Constitutionalists' Association has responded to the resolution adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and evaluated key issues from the constitutional legal perspective. For the full text. Source: the organization's web page in the social network.

Tbilisi. The Institute for the Development of Freedom of Information has released analytical blog post "Violations associated with submission of property declarations of the officials". For the full text. Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. On October 3 "Libcenter" has hosted Zviad Abashidze's public lecture – "Democracy: Past and Modern Times". The School offers a video recording of the lecture for those who were unable to attend. Source: the organization's web 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

Kakheti. The two-day festival of the documentaries - "Open Space for Free Thinking" has ended in Gurjaani. Kakheti has hosted an international festival of documentaries for the fifth time.CSO "Media Center Kakheti" has organized the festival this time as well. As part of the festival, the building of the Gurjaani Musical School has hosted a photo exhibition titled "Old Gurjaani", as well as screening of documentaries and discussions. International film festival was organized with financial support of the Heinrich Boll Foundation.According to the organizers of the festival, one of the objectives of the festival is to promote public discussions.

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. The Institute for the Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) continues posting various pieces of public information obtained from the local self-government authorities of Georgia on www.opendata.ge (public information data base).This time the Institute has released information provided by the local authorities of Shida Kartli. For the full text Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. Open Society Georgia Foundation and the Ministry of Interior of Georgia have signed a memorandum of understanding. The memorandum enables implementation of OSGF Human Rights Program in-house project - Inside Policy Custody, developed jointly with Open Society Justice Initiative (OSJI) and Legal Aid Reformers' Network (LARN). For the full text Source: osgf.ge

Tbilisi. The Young Lawyers' Association, Transparency International, Open Society – Georgia, Article 42 of the Constitution, Sida and ISFED have released a joint statement. "In recent days the public have witnessed dangerous confrontation evolve between representatives of CSOs "Free Zone" and "Free Generation". The organizations are expressing their position on these developments. For the full text. Source: isfed.ge

Tbilisi. GYLA calls upon the law-enforcement bodies to investigate the alleged pressure, exerted against the Isani district deputy Gamgebeli. "The deputy Gamgebeli of the Isani district of the Tbilisi city – Besik Donadze has addressed Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association for legal assistance. Besik Donadze stated that he is being pressured into quitting his position. ...We call upon the law-enforcements to examine the pressure, exerted against Besik Donadze and to make proper response to ensure avoidance of the politically-motivated discrimination, to protect the human rights and ensure the supremeacy of the law". For the full text Source: gyla.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. The Youth Parliament of Georgia appeals to everyone to notify the organization about their own and regional problems.The organization has released a statement in the social network. "Would you like your problem to be heard from the CoE tribune? Would you like for the international community to pay more attention to the challenges that the youth and not only the youth face in Georgia?Let us know about your and your region's problem today". For the full text. Source: the organization's 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.