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. 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

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

Tbilisi. Signatory organizations respond to developments that occurred yesterday in the Rioni valley and consider it inadmissible to resume construction works of Namakhvani HPP on the background of mobilization of police forces, grossly violating human rights and disregarding demands of the population. “Instead of the state assuming the role of a moderator, focused on the protection of sustainable public interests and goodness, which is based on constitutional principles of a social and legal state, the government office today is entirely on the side of private interest. During the last months, we observed maximum mobilization of police, information, and administrative resources by the Government aiming to neglect and discredit opponents of the construction of Namakhvani HPP. However, today, breaching fundamental rights and applying repressive tools aggressively, the Government refuses to resolve the existing crisis with community groups through democratic dialogue and legal means“, - is noted in the joint statement. Read more… Source:gyla.ge

Tbilisi. Media Advocacy Coalition member organizations consider it inadmissible to restrict access to the Internet in Namokhvani. “We would like to remind the government that access to the Internet and the right to free usage of the Internet is protected by the Constitution of Georgia. While on the background of high public interest in the ongoing protest rally in Namokhvani, it is unacceptable to restrict the constitutionally guaranteed right unjustifiably. According to the spread information, “the Ministry of Internal Affairs has jammed also the Internet connection in Namokhvani today, due to which fact it is impossible to stream live”.  As the local population state, such a failure of Internet transmission has not been observed in Namokhvani before.  We call on the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia to: Make a statement in regard to the fact of unlawful restriction of freedom of expression;  Take immediate measures to ensure access to the Internet so as to enable people in Namokhvani to exercise the right to receive and transmit information, while journalists have adequate working conditions for their professional activities. We urge the Communications Commission to investigate the Internet disruption in Namokhvani and provide us with information regarding currently existing indicators”, - is noted in the statement of the coalition. Read more…  Source: The website of the Coalition on a social network

Tbilisi. Social Justice Center (former EMC) publishes a new study on “Participation right of minorities and standards of the Framework Convention of the Council of Europe”. “The study contains an analysis of standards defined by Article 15 of the Framework Convention of the Council of Europe and recommendations made by the Advisory Committee to up to 20 European countries. The study allows us to see what standards the Council of Europe sets for minority groups to exercise their right to effective participation in cultural, social, economic life and public activities”. Read more… Source: socialjustice.org.ge

Tbilisi. According to media reports, law enforcement agencies of occupied Abkhazia have launched an investigation against Alyona Tania, who says in a video posted on the social network that “Abkhazia is Georgia”. Law enforcers of the occupation regime forced Alyona to apologize to the public for her action. “Rights Georgia” considers that beginning the investigation by the occupation regime against Alyona Tania contradicts definitions and standards of the European Court of Human Rights. Read more... Source: rights.ge

Tbilisi. Social Justice Center (former EMC) has published a research document: Employment policy for ethnic minorities. The research has published within the framework of a project - “Strengthening ethnic minority integration and rights protection via research, education, advocacy, and confidence-building activities”.  “Current reality brings double damage to the employment of ethnic minorities because poor access to education, public services, including economic support programs, weak language competencies and radical omission of minority languages in the language policy - a discriminatory environment make it difficult for them to engage and participate in social and economic life. The purpose of this document is to review relevant experiences of ethnic minority employment policies, which may become an interesting resource for the state in the process of considering special needs of ethnic minorities in the employment policy and pursuing additional supportive policies”. Read more… Source: socialjustice.org.ge

Tbilisi. On March 17, 19 and 26, 2021, the Public Defender’s Office, in cooperation with the Council of Europe Office in Georgia, held meetings with representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Prosecutor’s Office and Lawyers’ Association on issues relating to the administration of justice on sexual violence against women. “Recommendations and key findings of the Administration of Justice on Sexual Violence against Women in Georgia, a report drawn up by the Public Defender’s Office (with the assistance of the Council of Europe) were introduced to the prosecutors, investigators and lawyers. Participants talked about their practices and challenges relating to the investigation of cases of sexual abuse, criminal prosecution and consideration of such cases in the court”. Read more… Source: www.ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. On March 23, 2021, Nino Lomjaria, Public Defender of Georgia, met with Thomas Mülmann, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Austria to Georgia. The human rights situation in Georgia, the Public Defender's activities, mandate and priorities, as well as the challenges facing democratic institutions in Georgia were discussed at the meeting. Read more… Source: www.ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. According to information released by the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association, court ruled that in May 2018, the Parliament of Georgia unjustifiably refused an employee to take leave and fired him from work. “Court annulled the order regarding dismissal of the plaintiff from the position of the leading specialist of the Human Rights and Civil Integration Committee office and charged the Parliament of Georgia to make a new decision based on study, examination and conciliation of circumstances that have substantial significance for the case”. GYLA defended rights of the dismissed employee in court. Read more… Source:gyla.ge

Shida Kartli. The Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) has won the employment-related dispute of one more social worker. "According to the March 19 decision of the Khashuri District Court, the LEPL “Agency for State Care and Assistance for the (Statutory) Victims of Human trafficking” must reinstate the social worker, fired in 2019, as well as compensate the loss. Besides, as the court ruled, the restitution and compensation process should begin immediately, which judgement is especially important and rare in employment-related law cases. This is already the sixth successfully completed dispute out of those eight cases that EMC works on. As for the remaining two disputes, trials still take place and public will be informed about the news related to these cases during legal proceedings”, - is stated on the website of the organization in a social network. Read more... Source: The website of the organization in a social network

Tbilisi. The Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) responds to an interview broadcasted through the air if the TV Company “Mtavari” and notes that the continued practice of unlawful surveillance causes an irreparable damage to human rights and the democratic order. “Use of information, obtained in this way, for political purposes is encouraged by inefficiency of the Government and absence of political will to investigate facts of violation of privacy. The practice of unlawful surveillance and gross violation of privacy is directly linked to both failure of legislative and institutional reforms in this field and delayed, as well as ineffective response of law enforcement agencies to specific cases”, - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more… Source: emc.org.ge

Kvemo Kartli. Civil society organizations respond to developments that took place on March 21 in Marneuli, where activists of the “Movement for Georgia”, along with local population, demonstratively violated the curfew at 21:00.  “We have repeatedly stated that the Government tries to restrict freedom of expression unconstitutionally, justifying it with protection of public health. This time it is especially alarming that we are dealing with the threat of restriction of physical freedom of citizens and their criminal liability. It is noteworthy that the activists decided to hold the rally after the authorities did not heed a request of ethnic Azerbaijani citizens and did not lift the restriction of movement for the overnight of Nowruz Bayram. We consider that this decision is inconsistent and, moreover, discriminatory against ethnic minorities. The Government could make an exception in this case, especially on the background of intended easing of regulations for a football match on March 28, 2021, in fact, restrictions, for instance, were also lifted on the night of January 1”, - is noted in the joint statement. Read more… Source: www.gdi.ge

Tbilisi. On March 21, 2021, a TV story was aired on Mtavari Channel about alleged secret recordings of private life, including those showing the life of politician Ana Dolidze. “The victims of the release of secret recordings of private life or the threats relating to the release of such recordings are mainly female politicians in Georgia. This practice is used as a systemic tool of violence against women involved in public and political processes, in order to oppress and silence them. The Public Defender condemns the practice of illegal interference with the private life by the State, expresses solidarity with all victims and calls on the State to take convincing steps”. Read more… Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. “Rights Georgia” offers a unique opportunity. If you work on protection of rights of asylum seekers, refugees and people with humanitarian status, you can register on the country of origin information portal: and gain access to human rights studies around the world. Read more… Source: The website of the organization in a social network

Tbilisi. On June 18, 2020, police officers stopped a child in Tbilisi and demanded to present an identity document, which the juvenile did not have. Police officers decided to take a photo of him, while the juvenile refused it and, therefore, policemen decided to detain the juvenile, however, people did not allow them to do so. During the attempt of detention the child received bodily injuries. On October 29, 2020, PHR applied to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and demanded a copy of an administrative case file related to the juvenile, but the Ministry delayed the process. In order to protect interests of the child, #PHR applied to the State Inspector’s Service. The State Inspector reviewed the case and concluded that materials were handed within an unreasonable timeframe. According to the conclusion, the Ministry of Internal Affairs performed its duties improperly. In particular, it provided the applicant with the documentation in an unreasonable timeframe, improper manner and incompletely. The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia was declared an offender and fined GEL100 as an administrative penalty. Partnership for Human Rights continues to defend interests of the child. Read more… Source: phr.ge

Tbilisi. The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association responds to a story broadcasted through the program “Post Factum” on the TV Company “Mtavari”. “A respondent Ivane Gulashvili states that he was an employee of the state security and, on the order of high-ranking officials, used to install recording devices for covert surveillance in residential houses of public figures or various technical equipment. GYLA condemns unlawful encroachment on private life. Extends its support to Ana Dolidze and all victims of unlawful covert surveillance. At the same time, we note that in Georgia, there is painful experience of publicizing personal life footage, obtained through covert surveillance in the recent past, and it entails consequences. This fact requires timely, impartial and effective investigation to be carried out by relevant state agencies”. Read more… Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. The Women’s Movement responds to information broadcasted through the air of TV Company Mtavari on March 21 by Ivane Gulashvili, a former employee of the State Security Service, who is currently in custody. “In an interview with a journalist, Ivane Gulashvili talked about possible covert surveillance of Ana Dolidze, a female politician. Sadly, we remember moral terror perpetrated against a number of politically active women and attempts to oust them from public life. We note that similar unlawful practices have developed into systemic violence in the country. Manipulating or disclosing private, including sexual life of a woman is the most brutal method of ousting women from politics, as well as discrediting and marginalizing them. We call on the investigative body to launch an investigation, interrogate all people who may be involved in the unlawful surveillance of Ana Dolidze, and use all available resources to prevent spreading of personal life footage. We express our full solidarity with Ana Dolidze and urge the international community to respond respectively”, - is noted in the statement. Read more... Source: The website of the organization in a social network

Tbilisi. On March 17, “Rights Georgia” presented results of monitoring of activities carried out by an independent inspector and the High Council of Justice during disciplinary legal proceedings. “The study report, prepared as a result of the monitoring, contains a review of current legislation and practice in the field of disciplinary responsibility of judges, analysis of compliance of legislation and practice with international standards, as well as recommendations for elimination of shortcomings in the disciplinary system”. Read more… Source: rights.ge

Tbilisi. On March 15, society came to know through means of media that there was established a Scientific Advisory Council for National Minorities on the grounds of the Diaspora and Caucasus Issues Committee at the Parliament of Georgia. “We, the signatory organizations, generally welcome the idea of establishing an advisory mechanism for national minorities at the Parliament, however, it is categorically unacceptable for us to set up an advisory council for minorities on the grounds of the Diaspora and Caucasus Issues Committee, which strengthens an impression of connecting ethnic minorities with other countries and essentially damages, as well as pulls back the process of building an inclusive, equal and democratic society. CSOs call on the Parliament of Georgia to: Cancel its decision regarding establishment of the Advisory Council on Minority Issues on the grounds of the Diaspora and Caucasus Issues Committee in a timely manner; Plan the issue of a mandate, competencies and composition of the Advisory Council within the framework of the democratic consultations process, in which there will be involved representatives of communities of ethnic minorities, organizations, as well as other experts and human rights actors; Take into account international standards and requirements, set by the Council of Europe Advisory Committee, as well as best practices of other countries while setting up the Advisory Council”. Read more… Source: gyla.ge