Tbilisi. With the help of UN Women, Georgia has joined the Equal Pay International Coalition (EPIC) and once more has underlined the need for #equalpay for equal work. „It is noteworthy that with this step, the country reaffirmed its readiness to fulfil the obligation to eliminate the gender pay gap“. Read more… Source: georgia.unwomen.org

Tbilisi. The Tolerance and Diversity Institute publishes a research – “Racial profiling in Georgia – Existing policies and practices of the police system towards ethnic minorities and migrants”. “The problem of racial profiling is current in the daily activities of police institutions in different countries. The police often use human visual characteristics and other personal data while performing routine procedures. In such a case, there occurs a risk that this data may make given group of society more relevant for the police, i.e. police officers may pay more attention to people with certain visual characteristics, unconditionally considering them as those posing increased risk”, - is stated in the introductory part of the research, - “The present research is the first that aims to study the current practice of racial profiling in Georgia based on experiences of police officers, migrants and ethnic minorities. We hope that this research will make a significant contribution to launching of public debates on the issue of racial profiling, while it will help the state to pursue appropriate policies”. Read more… Source: The website of the organization

Tbilisi. The Public defender of Georgia published a report – ‘Impact of COVID 19 pandemic on conflict-affected women and girls.   ‘The present report provides results of research conducted by the Public Defender’s Office of Georgia. The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on conflict-affected women and girls, to evaluate local safety policy in this regard, and to identify the needs of women and girls living in collective centers, near the dividing line and in the occupied territories , - we rad in the information spread by the Public Defender’s office, - ‘As part of the monitoring, interviews and focus groups meetings were held with the conflict-affected women and girls, representatives of international organizations and, international missions; also with the non-governmental organizations, working on the peacebuilding process.  Read more… https://www.ombudsman.ge/eng/akhali-ambebi/covid-19-pandemiis-gavlena-konfliktit-dazaralebul-kalebsa-da-gogoebze  Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. The Public defender of Georgia published a report - ‘Findings and Recommendations of Monitoring of Implementation of 2018-2020 National Action Plan for Women, Peace, and Security.   ‘The present report provides results of the Public Defender’s monitoring of the implementation of the 2018-2020 National Action Plan for Women, Peace, and Security. The purpose of the monitoring was to evaluate the implementation of the measures provided for in the Action Plan and the results achieved to identify shortcomings and main gaps’, - we rad in the information spread by the Public Defender’s office, - ‘As part of the monitoring, information was requested from state agencies implementing the activities under the Action Plan. Focus group meetings were held with women living in the IDP settlements and villages along the dividing line in various regions of Georgia. Meetings were also held with representatives of non-governmental organizations and self-governing bodies. Due to the limitations of the Covid Pandemic, the above-mentioned meetings were held online’.  Read more…  Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. Religious Associations of Public Defender’s Council of Religions and Tolerance Center Express Protest against Released Secret Materials. ‘We are astonished and express our extreme protest against the released secret materials and information contained in them’, - It is said in their statement, - ‘Members of the Council of Religions are considering what legal and international mechanisms we can apply to protect our rights and freedoms, our security. At the same time, we urge everyone: the Georgian Government, opposition parties, human rights organizations, religious associations, the media, and private individuals to exercise extreme caution relating to secret information, as it may inflict the most serious, completely undeserved, and irreparable harm on the security and reputation of each person, including minors, which is particularly alarming’. Read more…  Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. The Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) responds to the documentary material posted on the Internet space and sent it to the media on September 13. The material is allegedly created by the State Security Service via processing of information obtained as a result of covert surveillance among other means. “The Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia should immediately inform society whether the spread materials are authentic or not. At the same time, the Parliament should apply authorities granted to it by the Constitution and law and intervene in the investigation of circumstances related to the spread materials, especially in the light of alleged signs of systemic unlawful surveillance”. Read more… Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. According to information released by Social Justice Center, deprivation of the right of ethnic Georgians to receive education in their own language in Gali took the most severe forms. “Restriction of studies in the native language for Georgian schoolchildren in the Gali district is a problem not only by cause of its discriminatory and assimilative content but also in terms of development of pupils and young people. Due to the fact that schoolchildren speak Megrelian or Georgian at home, while study all subjects in Russian and learn Abkhazian along with foreign languages at school, they cannot speak any of those languages fluently as a result”. Read more… Source: socialjustice.org.ge

Tbilisi. The special report was drawn up on the basis of the visits paid to the assisted living facilities and orphanages for persons with disabilities. “The document discusses the living and infrastructural environment of the facilities, the rule of institutional upbringing, the lack of inclusive care and necessary educational-rehabilitation services, which ultimately lead to the formation of the syndrome of dependence on the institution and reduce the beneficiaries’ skills for independent living. The number of staff is not sufficient and in some cases they are unqualified; hygiene and sanitary norms are not properly observed, which makes the environment especially dangerous in the context of the Covid 19 pandemic. Meals are not diverse and it is necessary to address the issue of unavailability of clean water. Cases of violence are not properly identified, evaluated or responded. No anti-alcoholic or anti-drug efforts are made. Somatic and mental health are problematic, as well as directions of dental and psychosocial treatment. The protection of confidentiality was identified as an important trend”. Read more… Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. IDFI believes, that the experience of recent years, especially the information spread a few days ago about the alleged facts of mass interception, clearly shows that covert surveillance is a systemic challenge for Georgia.  ‘Total surveillance, the use of covert surveillance records as a tool for political retaliation, influencing people and blackmailing them reveal a severe crisis, a democratic setback, and a disregard for human rights standards in the country’, - is mentioned in the information of IDFI, - ‘The institutional arrangement of the State Security Service, the excessive and uncontrolled power concentrated in its hands, the lack of an efficient system of oversight are incompatible with fundamental democratic values and principles. The regulatory and institutional framework governing covert surveillance fails to ensure adequate protection of privacy. There is no effective system of supervision and control in the country and there are no proper procedural guarantees to prevent the abuse of power by the state’.  Read more…   Source: The webpage of the organization

Tbilisi. The Public Defender presents the findings of a special report drawn up on the basis of the visits paid to the assisted living facilities and orphanages for persons with disabilities were presented and the activities planned in the thematic directions were discussed at the meeting. The visits were conducted in 2020 as part of the monitoring of the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and were aimed at assessing the quality of observance of the Minimum Care Standards in Specialized Living Facilities for Persons with Disabilities and Older People, as well as the Child Care Standards, including in the context of the prevention of the novel coronavirus. Read more…  Source: The webpage of the organization

Tbilisi. The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association responds to news broadcasted through the mass media on September 13, 2021, and in the previous days. GYLA considers that this information confirms systematic and large-scale facts of alleged unlawful covert eavesdropping and surveillance performed by the State Security Service. “GYLA condemns gross violations in terms of interference in the personal life of people and calls on the Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia to conduct an investigation in time, impartially and effectively”, - is noted in the statement released by the organization, - “Non-governmental organizations, including GYLA, have been pointing to the unlimited and uncontrollable authority of the State Security Service for years. Existing legislation is unable to protect the personal life of an individual from unlawful interference. Covert eavesdropping and surveillance affect the freedom of people. Over the years, the Constitutional Court has been reviewing the June 1, 2017 lawsuit №1231 regarding the constitutionality of several norms related to covert investigative activities, computer data, data bank, and supervision. As the Constitutional Court represents an important mechanism for the protection of human rights, it is crucial to ensure its resolutions are prompt and effective. In view of the above, we consider that the Constitutional Court should timely assess the compatibility of challenged norms with the Constitution of Georgia, in turn, facilitate perfection of legislation regulating covert investigative actions and create solid guarantees in legislation for the protection of human rights”. Read more… Source: The website of the organization

Tbilisi. The Public Defender Nino Lomjaria met with Albert Johnson, Head of the OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission. The violations detected during the pre-election period, cases of pressure on opposition parties, alleged cases of dismissal on political grounds, and ineffective response by the law enforcement agencies were the topics of discussion at the meeting. Read more…  Source: The webpage of the organization

Tbilisi. The Georgian Democracy Initiative responds to materials about personal life broadcasted on the air of various channels. “Information about facts of alleged unlawful covert surveillance and eavesdropping, performed by the State Security Service against clergy, journalists, teachers and representatives of diplomatic corps, and broadcasted on the air of various TV Companies, has further strengthened existing public suspicions about the presence of a heavy practice of unlawful interference in the sphere of personal life in the country. Publicized information indicates that no group, circle of people, the individual is protected from the control and surveillance of the State Security Service in the country”, - is noted in the statement released by the organization. Read more…  Source: The website of the organization

Tbilisi. Social Justice Center responds to alleged facts exposing unlawful work of the State Security Service and considers that the publicized material demonstrates the hardest practice of unlawful, regular, and total wiretapping and surveillance of people. “In our opinion, this fact is a rough encroachment on the inviolability of private life and undermines opportunities of the country for its democratic development”, - is noted in the statement released by the organization, - “Social Justice Center calls on the Parliament of Georgia to establish a commission, which will investigate alleged facts of mass illegal wiretapping and gross violations of human rights committed by the State Security Service; initiate discussions regarding the fundamental reform of the State Security Service, deconcentration of its excess authority and increase of accountability mechanisms; while on the Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia to launch a timely, effective and independent investigation into current facts as soon as possible and inform society about the progress and results of the investigation”. Read more… Source: The website of the organization

Tbilisi. On September 13, 2021, Nino Lomjaria, Public Defender of Georgia, and Lyudmila Denisova, UkrainianParliament Commissioner for Human Rights, visited the village of Khurvaleti during the occupation line. The Public Defender informed her Ukrainian counterpart about the rights situation of the population living in the occupied territories. They talked about general problems, including restrictions on movement, medical and other services. "It seems that the occupation force is acting according to one and the same scenario and plan, but the situation in Georgia is aggravated by the lack of communication at the human and departmental levels, which is obviously the result of Russian pressure. Read more…  Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. The European Court of Human Rights accepted one more lawsuit submitted by the Human Rights Center, which is related to June 20-21, 2019 developments. The case named Berikashvili vs Georgia has already been registered by the court. A citizen affected at the demonstration raided by the Ministry of Internal Affairs demands acknowledgment of violation of Articles 3, 10, 11, and 13 of the European Convention. Read more… Source: The website of the organization

Tbilisi. TDI believes that regulations enacted by the Georgian government against Indian students are again discriminatory and contain signs of corruption as well. ‘Indian students studying at Georgian universities have not been able to return to Georgia from India for months. The restrictions for the prevention of the spread of coronavirus that is imposed on Indian students coming to Georgia are still disproportionate, unreasonable, and discriminatory, - is mentioned in the statement of the organization.  Read more…   Source: The webpage of the organization

Tbilisi. The Public Defender says the work of the General Inspectorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Monitoring Department of the Special Penitentiary Service continues with significant shortcomings.  ‘The analysis of the cases showed that the Monitoring Department of the Special Penitentiary Service and the General Inspectorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs had not conducted an in-depth examination of alleged human rights violations, which prevented the investigation and detection of violations indicated by the applicants. The general inspectorates of the investigative agencies do not fully study citizens' complaints, do not obtain neutral evidence to identify alleged infringements, and in most cases are limited to questioning alleged infringers who clearly deny the violation of law’, - mentioned the Public Defender.  Read more…   Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. Public Defender Demands Criminal Prosecution of Two Persons for Organizing Group Violence and Calling for Violence on July 5. ‘Two months have passed since the violent events of July 5, but the Georgian Prosecutor's Office has not launched criminal prosecution against any individual for organizing group violence. The Public Defender examined the video footage released by the media and considers that the publicly available evidence reaches the standard of probable cause for launching criminal proceedings against two persons for organizing group violence as well as for publicly calling for violence’, is mentioned in the statement of the Public Defender. Read more…  Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. The Public Defender of Georgia is monitoring the human rights violations during the pre-election period and is concerned about the alleged discriminatory dismissal of dozens of people for their political views. ‘According to the information available to the Public Defender’s Office at this time, 62 employees were subjected to various forms of pressure. Most of them, in a conversation with the representatives of the Public Defender, confirmed pressure and dismissal and explained the above by kinship, friendship, or good relations with members of the party of former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia. (It should be noted that several of them, despite confirmation of pressure, refrained from giving their consent to the Public Defender's Office to examine their cases). The mentioned individuals were fired from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, municipal services, non-commercial legal entities as well as legal entities under public law established by various municipalities, and other public institutions, - is mentioned in the statement of the Public Defender. Read more…  Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. According to the Special Penitentiary Service, more than a hundred prisoners tested positive for coronavirus in penitentiary institutions. The Public Defender's Office received information about the spread of coronavirus in penitentiary institutions from prisoners and the administration of specific penitentiary institutions. The information obtained at this stage is consistent with the information disseminated by the Penitentiary Service. Infected prisoners were transferred from Establishments Nos. 2, 8, and 14 to a specially arranged quarantine area. Additional detailed information on the isolation and treatment of prisoners has been requested from the Special Penitentiary Service. Read more…  Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. Georgian Democracy Initiative (GDI) presents a report – “March without dignity”. “The headline of the report highlights the sad reality that July 5, i.e. the day when the “Pride March” was meant to take place to demonstrate support and solidarity, has eventually become a day when we witnessed hatred, violence, and aggression, respectively – a march of perpetrators, which was devoid of dignity. The report exposes problems related to the realization of freedom of assembly and expression by the LGBTQI + community. In this sense, there is reviewed fulfillment of its constitutional and international obligations by the state and the policy applied against the LGBTQI + community. More specifically, the report reflects developments, occurred in the homophobic context in Tbilisi on July 5 and 6, 2021, and the period preceding them. These developments are also assessed in terms of freedom of media and safety of journalists”. Read more… Source: gdi.ge