Tbilisi. The Georgian Young Lawyers' Association has echoed the statements of the Prime Minister concerning the detained employees of the Ministry of Agriculture and GYLA. "We wish common actions of a non-governmental organization are not evaluated as excess of power and any official focuses mainly on problems, solution of which is his/her legal obligation," says the organization's web page. For the full text. Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. The Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) has launched the volunteering initiative, which includes assisting the children living in socially unprotected families in preparing the school subjects. Those wishing to join the Center's idea and devote several hours per week to children, contact the following e-mail: Humanrightsemc@gmail.com For the full text. Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Tbilisi. GYLA echoed the evaluations of the President of Georgia expressed at the May 10 meeting with the students, concerning ZuraVazagashvili. "Along with violating the presumption of innocence, unfortunately the President did not take into account the severe moral damage that his statements would inflict on the family members of deceased ZuraVazagashvili. Based on the appeal of Z. Vazagashvili's parents, GYLA will file a lawsuit in the Tbilisi City Court against the President in relation with infringement of ZuraVazagashvili's honor and dignity," says the statement. For the full text. Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. With financial support of the Council of Europe, the Caucasian Institute for Peace, Democracy and Development has organized the student debates on: the role of fair elections in the process of democratic development. The debates will be held in the five university cities of Georgia: Akhaltsikhe, Batumi, Tbilisi, Telavi and Kutaisi. Winner teams will be identified in each city, members of which will be awarded and invited to the summer school in August 2013. For the full text. Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Tbilisi. The representative of the Georgian Young Lawyers' Association has visited in the Gldani Prison seven persons detained on the Ministry of Agriculture case. "Four out of detained persons state that during the interrogation in the so-called Module building, prosecutor ShotaRizhamadze and the investigators have psychologically pressured and verbally insulted them. Interrogation would start in the evening hours and would go on even for 8 hours sometimes. According to the persons in detention, although they had to spend a lot of time in the Module building, the interrogation process itself would last for only an hour or hour and a half. Further, it is noteworthy that all of them were questioned as witnesses and without the attorneys' presence. Detained persons have reported about pressure from the prosecutor S. Rizhamadze before the trial court as well and requested his recusal from the case, but the judge has rejected the motion," – says the information released by GYLA, which believes that the facts of pressure and verbal insult of detained persons must be investigated. For the full text.

Tbilisi. The public lecture on "Social grounds of homophobia" was delivered in the Liberalism Education Center by the Executive Director of "Identity". At the end of the lecture Irakli Vacharadze has presented to the meeting participants the guide prepared by Identity for the journalists. The Lecture – "Social grounds of homophobia". Source: liberalizmi.wordpress.com

Tbilisi.The organization "Article 42 of Constitution" has echoed the May 12 manifestation of auto-motor fans and the fining of the owners of motor-transport by the Patrol Police on April 28. "Pursuant to Article 25 of the Constitution of Georgia, everyone has the right to public assembly without arms either indoors or outdoors without prior permission. According to the same article, the necessity of prior notification may be established by law in cases where a public assembly or manifestation is held on a public thoroughfare," says the statement released by the organization. "Article 42 of Constitution" calls on the Ministry of Interior of Georgia to develop concrete acts regulating the plates of motorcycles, upon need with participation of unions linked to this issue. For the full text. Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Tbilisi. On May 10, as part of the Red Cross celebratory week, the Georgian Red Cross Society has carried out the voluntary blood donation initiative. The alumni of the "American Councils FLEX" Program have donated blood free of charge in the city terminal for blood donation. The Georgian Red Cross presented them with souvenir T-shirts. Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Tbilisi. The Georgian Democratic Initiative has released a statement concerning the solving of the crime relating to the release of video materials on private life. "As this particular and other cases have demonstrated, the legislation of Georgia on the protection of personal secrets requires revision in order to avoid similar facts in the future. Accordingly, we believe the Parliament and Government of Georgia should pay special attention to this process, including the necessary amendments to the Criminal Code of Georgia in terms of aggravating criminal liability for committing this kind of crimes," says the statement. For the full text. Source: gdi.geSource: the organization's page in the social network.

Tbilisi. Transparency International - Georgia has responded to the statement of the Minister of Interior of Georgia. "At the special briefing the Minister of Interior told the public that the case involving the release of video materials on Giorgi Paresashvili's private life is solved and that now the former Deputy Minister of Interior Gela Khvedelidze is detained. We welcome the timely solution of this case and holding the defendant liable.The Minister has stated in addition that the video archive recorded illegally is currently sealed and will be destroyed in the near future with participation of the civil society. "Transparency International – Georgia" always urged the MoI to destroy the materials in the archive depicting the private lives of persons. We express readiness for being actively involved in the process and to provide relevant consultations to the Ministry in light of the international experience," says the organization's page in the social network.Source: the organization's page in the social network.

The Youth Parliament of Georgia has organized the public discussions over the adoption of the Abortion Law in Tbilisi and Telavi. Members of the Youth Parliament have discussed the topic of prohibition of abortion with the students and the invited experts. Apart from Tbilisi and Telavi, the meetings were held in 7 cities of Georgia. At the summary discussion held in Tbilisi on May 11, the organizers have briefed the participants about the meetings held in regions and the results of survey carried out in the social network.

Adjara. On May 11, the association "Independent Journalists' House" has organized the discussion in the Batumi Press Cafe on "Political Prisoners about the Political Prisoners". After being granted the status of political prisoners, persons were released from imprisonment. Yet, the legal and psychological rehabilitation of political prisoners has still not occurred. The discussion participants have talked about the current state of political prisoners and the ways of their integration into the society.

Tbilisi. The Youth Parliament of Georgia has organized the discussion over the amendments to be made to the Law on Occupation. MPs of the Youth Parliament of 2013 calling have met with the expert Irakli Margvelashvili, who has briefed them about the legal and political aspects of the current status of the Law on Occupation and amendments to it. The issue was discussed in a dialogue regime. Along with the main topic, the expert has talked about Russian-Georgian relations and Georgia's integration into NATO. Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Tbilisi. The organization "Identity" has held the press conference concerning the details of the 17 May rally. On the international day against homophobia and transphobia, the human rights organization protecting the rights of LGBT persons will hold the silent event/flash-mob in front of the old Parliament building, during which the event participants wearing the rainbow colors will protest the facts of discrimination against LGBT persons in Georgia. Source: media.ge

Tbilisi. The Institute for the Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) has released the information obtained from the administration of the ShidaKartli Governor. The documents include information on the bonuses issued in 2012-2013, current staff list and salaries, budget, vehicle fleet expenses, and the employees dismissed since 20 October 2012. For the full text. Source:opendata.ge Sector - Monitoring.

Adjara. To celebrate the 68th anniversary of victory over Fascism on May 9, the association "Deserving Old Age" has hosted the World War veterans residing in Kobuleti.As part of the project "Social Center for the Elderly", the Chair of the Association, project journalist, single-seat MP of the Adjara Supreme Council and the project expert have congratulated the veterans with the Victory Day.Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Tbilisi. On May 8, the joint training and competition in rock climbing was held in the climbers’ arena as part of the program of the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs of Georgia "Student Days 2013 against Drug Addiction”. The Polish and Georgian youngsters with visual impairments have participated in the competition. Source: the Ministry’s web page.

Tbilisi. "Transparency International – Georgia” has learned that on May 8 the Minister of Finance has signed the order, which revokes the previous regulations. According to the organization, these regulations created considerable problems for the local small and medium carriers and put the "Georgian Post” in the advantageous position. "Although the Ministry of Finance acknowledges that these regulations adopted in January are unjustified, they are revoked not immediately but only since 1 January 2014, when presumably the small and medium carriers will no longer exist on the market,” says the organization’s information. The organization calls on the Ministry of Finance to immediately revoke the order adopted in January 2013 and to act in the interests of the small and medium carriers. For the full text Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. The Institute for the Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) has released the public information obtained from the National Communications Commission. As the organization’s web page states, the received information covers the period from 1 January 2012 to 29 March 2013 and is as follows: Irakli Chikovani (Chairman of the Commission) – 83,823.5 GEL, Sopio Britanchuk (Member of the Commission) – 63,847.5 GEL, Karlo Kvitaishvili (Member of the Commission) – 63,847.5 GEL, Akaki Sikharulidze (Member of the Commission) – 55,941.5 GEL, Irakli Moseshvili (Member of the Commission) – 63,847.5 GEL, 108 employees of the administration – 1,266,564.19 GEL. Further, the information released by the Institute includes information on the Commission’s staff list and salaries, budget fulfillment reports, vehicle fleet expenses, dismissed employees and other information. For the full text (geo) Source: opendata.ge

Tbilisi. On May 8 the EU Ambassador to Georgia Philip Dimitrov has officially opened the contest "EU Prize in Journalism 2013”. "With this Prize we support the freedom of speech in the Georgian journalism and the development of professional standards in line with the EU values,” – Dimitrov has said. Detailed information on the contest is available on the web page euprizejournalism.ge Source: media.ge

Tbilisi. Women’s NGOs have expressed concerns over the discussion on the prohibition of abortions and released the petition. They appeal to the Gender Equality Council, Assistant to the Prime Minister in Human Rights and Gender Equality Issues, the Minister of Justice, the Minister of Labor, Health and Social Welfare, members of the Parliament and other decision-maker persons to pay special attention to this topic and react to the mentioned discussion. The Petition (geo) Source: ginsc.net    

Guria. On May 8, the Ozurgeti Civic Engagement Center has organized the meeting on the "New legislative initiative to the Labor Code of Georgia”. The meeting aimed at discussing the current norms, gaps and practice of the Labor Code of Georgia and the new initiatives to it. Meeting participants have discussed as the new governmental initiative, as well as the recommendations of NGOs on the elimination of misbalance between an employee and an employer. In addition, they have discussed the role of the United Professional Union of Georgia in securing the fair and equal rights for the parties to a labor contract.