Tbilisi. On March 1, “Rights Georgia” has launched a new project - " Support Human Rights Defenders and Activists at Risk”. “The aim of the project is to provide legal assistance to human rights defenders / activists, to increase their safety and security guarantees and to raise awareness of legal issues that are relevant to their activities”. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Tbilisi. The Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) interviewed one of the miners employed at the Tkibuli mine in regard to hard working conditions in mines. ”Today, main concern of Tkibuli miners is lack of assurance that they will return safe and healthy back home after they go out. Security is a major challenge. There is not much difference compared to previous periods. No fundamental changes have been made to eliminate causes of numerous tragic accidents. The only thing the new company has come up with is to install gas appliances and evacuate people when the “lava” explodes. Nothing is changed in terms of both coal mining and processing. The problem that leads to so many tragic cases is extraction of coal through a “camera” system”, - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more… Source: emc.org.ge

Tbilisi. Georgian Democracy Initiative (GDI) responds to a March 9, 2021 ruling of the Tbilisi City Court, based on which there was issued a permission to carry out an investigative action – seizure aiming to obtain items transferred to “TV Pirveli” by a confidential source, while the Prosecutor’s Office was allowed to apply the proportional measure of coercion in case of resistance. “We consider that the recording, broadcasted by “TV Pirveli”, makes a significant contribution to the legitimate public debate that is particularly important for society, it is protected by freedom of speech and expression, while actions of the Prosecutor’s Office and the court ruling undermine the essence of media as a guardian of democracy as well as possibility of its free existence”, - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more… Source: gdi.ge

Tbilisi. Sector 3 would like to respond to a ruling by the Tbilisi City Court that allowed the prosecutor's office to remove materials provided by a confidential source to TV Pirveli using a proportionate coercion measure. “We believe that any step or action that creates the perception that freedom of speech and media independence are threatened must be taken with particular caution. We call on the authorities to act according to the law, be prudent, take into account the existing polarized environment, and be aware of the risks arising from the possible enforcement of the court order”. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on a social network

Tbilisi. The Public Defender of Georgia considers that the court decision on the conduct of the measure of seizure at TV Pirveli is unsubstantiated and contradicts Georgian legislation and European human rights law. Ombudsman calls on the Prosecutor General's Office of Georgia not to take a step that would seriously undermine freedom of expression and journalistic activity. Read more… Source: www.ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. “Media Advocacy Coalition” responds to information released on March 11, 2021, according to which the court authorized the Prosecutor’s Office to seize materials from “TV Pirveli”.  The relevant ruling has already been received by the TV Company. “It is important to note that according to Article 50 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Georgia, a journalist cannot act as a witness in regard to information obtained within the framework of his/her professional activity.  Respectively, any move to influence journalists can be perceived as an attempt to disclose a source of information. In our opinion, conducting an investigation with the focus on this method poses a danger that media may once again become a target of political retaliation. “We continue to urge international partners to pay special attention to the campaign carried out against media in Georgia, which, unfortunately, is encouraged by state institutions and high-ranking officials”, - is noted in the statement of the coalition. Read more… Source: The website of the organization in a social network

Tbilisi. HumanDoc Foundation, in collaboration with partner organizations: “Kartlosi” – Bridge of Friendship, Association “Merkuri” and Cultural-Humanitarian Fund “Sukhumi”, has released a publication: “Guide for teachers on violence against children”. An electronic version of the publication is available here... Read more… Source: The website of the organization in a social network

Tbilisi. The Tbilisi office of the South Caucasus Regional Bureau of the Heinrich Boell Foundation presents an article by Lika Jalagania on voice of women and power of listener. “The collective violence, committed against Nini in Kobuleti, should certainly be pointing out the problem of survival discourse. If we survive a man, there will always appear someone and something condemning our being a victim due to their insistence to stay safe. However, our survival will cause disappointment if we do not follow rules of a proposed game. The family of Nini survived through “atonement of guilt” because what we are demanded to do is to demonstrate weakness – be a passive victim who bases “lost dignity” self-description on infallible evidences of sacred victimhood”. Read more… Source:feminism-boell.org

Tbilisi. On March 10, 2021, the Public Defender’s Office, in cooperation with UN Women and with the support of the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, held an online presentation assessing Georgia's international obligations relating to gender mainstreaming and presented a study conducted by the Public Defender’s Office. “The study made it clear that despite the progress made in recent years in the direction of gender equality, the country's gender policy fails to increase women's political participation or coordinate the work of state agencies in response to violence against women and domestic violence, or to prevent the cases of femicide. Implementing and monitoring gender mainstreaming in national policy and budgeting also remains a problem”. Read more… Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. Georgian Civil Society Organizations are reacting to the audio recording broadcast on TV Pirveli • ტელეკომპანია პირველი, the alleged participants of which are, the incumbent Prime Minister, the head of the Special State Protection Service, and Bera Ivanishvili. “We call on the Parliament of Georgia to use the tools afforded to it by the Constitution of Georgia and the Rules of Procedure of the Parliament and to demand clarifications from the Prime Minister. The disseminated record and the alleged participation of the Prime Minister in it should be the subject of parliamentary discussions. We call on law enforcement agencies to take an appropriate expert and/or other investigative measures to verify the authenticity of the record. To ensure public trust, this process must be conducted in a timely, efficient, and transparent manner. The involvement of independent observers/experts in the process must be ensured. All necessary measures must be taken to increase the credibility of the investigation”. Read more… Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. On March 5, 2021, the Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) applied to the Administrative Cases Panel at the Tbilisi City Court with a request to abolish the curfew. “It has been more than 3 months that the curfew is in effect on the entire territory of Georgia in a continuous mode and with the same strictness. While in the 7 largest cities of the state, duration of the curfew exceeds 4 months”. The organization considers that the Government of Georgia restricts freedom of movement disproportionately, which contradicts requirements of Paragraph 3 under Article 453 of the Law of Georgia on Public Health. IDFI will apply to the Constitutional Court with the same issue in the near future. Read more... Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. The Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) publishes an article by Giga Karapetyan and Ani Gogberashvili: “Women street traders and the pandemic: Fighting for daily needs”. "In this context, our research article is an attempt to analyze social and economic dimensions of street trading straight from the perspective of women street traders. For the article, we conducted ten interviews with women street traders self-employed in Gori and Tbilisi. Most of them are pensioners and are considered to be the main breadwinners in their families”, - is stated in the article. Read more… Source: emc.org.ge

Tbilisi. The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association publishes an appraisal in regard to women rights related situation. “March 8, International Women’s Day, has been a date to mark fight for equality of women for years. In a patriarchal society, women and girls appear in an unequal position, gender-based violence takes place more frequently, work of women is underestimated, while the role of a woman is diminished. To fulfil its commitments, made upon ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (the so-called Istanbul Convention), Georgia has taken various measures in recent years so as to ensure equality of women and protect them from violence. Despite taken steps forward, the issue of gender equality still remains a problem and requires to have the state work on many aspects”, - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more… Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) and Green Alternative submit an appeal to the Tbilisi City Court to defend interests of local population and demand suspension of enforcement of the order of the Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, based on which a positive environmental decision on the cascade of Namakhvani HPPs was issued. Read more… Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association publishes a document, which contains a study of measures taken by the state in the circumstances of the pandemic, international recommendations elaborated in this regard, best practices of other countries. In the document, there are also identified challenges that are faced by people with disabilities. “While working on the document, there have been conducted interviews with people with disabilities, parents of children with disabilities, staff of day care centers and organizations protecting interests of the disability community. Eventually, within the framework of the report, there were analyzed effectiveness of measures, taken by the state to apply rights of people with disabilities, and their compliance with international recommendations”. Read more… Discussion record… Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. #ReturnMySurname is a civic campaign, within the framework of which Azerbaijani activists demand to have Russian ending of their surnames changed to Azerbaijani. “We are people who always carry an ID card with us. It is a document, which demonstrates our state identity on the one hand, however, when looking into our own ID card, it also reminds us about occupation of our country and surnames. This is what often makes us angry, irritates, hearts”. The campaign is organized by a “Salam” platform with the support of EWMI ACCESS. Read more… Source: The website of the “Salam” Platform in a social network

Tbilisi. In the context of the pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus in Georgia, members of the Special Preventive Group of the Public Defender studied the epidemiological situation and protection of patients' rights at Tbilisi Mental Health Center. “The monitoring showed that patients at Tbilisi Mental Health Center are not protected from violence, inhuman or degrading treatment. They are not provided with psycho-social rehabilitation services, while the infrastructure fails to ensure the protection of their dignity. The Public Defender calls on the State to respond to the acute problems at the facility in a timely manner”. Read more… Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. An interactive map has been developed in collaboration with the Council of Europe and the Office of the Ombudsman aiming to create one space where organizations, working on issues related to discrimination, hate speech or hate motivated crimes, can find services they need. “If you are a victim of discrimination and need a legal, psychological, medical, social worker or shelter assistance, go to the website... Find an interactive map that provides detailed information about services offered by non-governmental organizations and state agencies to victims of discrimination. Please, email us at: info@ombudsman.ge if you would like information about a service provided by your organization to be placed on the map”. Read more… Source: The website of “I Choose Equality” in a social network

Tbilisi. The Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) publishes a video footage prepared within the framework of the project – “Promoting and Enabling Legal Capacity in Georgia”. “In 2014, the Constitutional Court restored deprived civil rights of hundreds of people with disabilities. They are no longer given the status of incapable and no guardian is appointed to look after them. In independent life, they are now assisted by a supporter of their choice”. Read more… Source: emc.org.ge

Imereti. The Open Society Georgia Foundation supports population and activists contesting construction of the Namakhvani HPP. “The intense protest of local population is caused by the fact that geological and ecological peculiarities of the existing project have not been substantially studied, while both economic and social justifications of the project are vague. This is also proved by the fact that the positive environmental assessment, made in February 2020, was changed in September of the same year, thus depriving the company of a legal permit to carry out preparatory works. Nevertheless, the company still continues to perform technical works unlawfully”, - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more… Source: osgf.ge

Tbilisi. The Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC), on behalf of “Batomi”, a civil society organization, contests a permit issued for construction of a 19-storey hotel complex on Batumi Boulevard. “Batomi” and EMC consider that a decision made by the Adjara Cultural Heritage Protection Agency is unequivocally unlawful and irreversibly, as well as substantially damages the immovable site of cultural heritage – Batumi Boulevard. Read more… Source: emc.org.ge