Tbilisi. The Public Defender responded to the business and human rights situation in Georgia and addressed the Prime Minister of Georgia in writing, considering the report prepared by the UN Working Groupon the issue ofhuman rights and transnational corporationsand other business enterprises.  In the letter, the Public Defender expressed her concern about the low rate of fulfillment of obligations under the human rights action plan, since according to information received from various agencies, despite a number of measures taken, no effective measures have been taken so far to perform a number of key tasks set out in the action plan on business and human rights.  Read more  Source: The web-page of the organization

Tbilisi. Today, Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) is going to presents to the public a study – “Needs of ethnic minorities, Public Broadcaster and the pandemic”. “On March 23, 2020, Marneuli and Bolnisi, two regions densely populated with ethnic minorities, were closed due to internal spread of the new coronavirus (Radio Liberty, 2020). A light panic that followed the threat of uncontrolled spread of the virus in the country, soon transitioned into another wave of xenophobia and nationalism, which fact was most clearly reflected in comments of users in a social network Facebook (Kevanishvili, 2020). During the following days, population, locked up in regions declared as “red zones”, had to simultaneously fight against the coronavirus, the fear of economic poverty and ethno-nationalism. Instead of spending efforts of local activists on dissemination of information related to the coronavirus, prevention of the virus and avoiding economic complications, they had to launch an internet campaign, main message of which was – “I am a citizen of Georgia”, - is stated in the introduction to the study. Read more… Source: The website of the organization

Tbilisi. Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) responds to violent conflicts occurred during the last period of time and calls on the Ministry of Internal Affairs to carry out systemic reforms in a timely manner. According to the appraisal of the organization, “changes, made in recent years, have not become the basis for establishment of a truly depoliticized, accountable and human rights-oriented law enforcement system. There is still a feeling in the society that there are dangers of influencing law enforcement agencies, risks of biased investigation, impunity and expectations of low accountability of the law enforcement system to the public”. Read more… Source: emc.org.ge

Tbilisi. According to an information of the UN Women Georgia, the Parliament of Georgia adopted a package of amendments to the Law of Georgia on Elimination of Domestic Violence, Protection and Support of Victims of Domestic Violence and other accompanying laws. “According to the changes, it will be possible to establish a GPS electronic monitoring system to track high-risk DV offenders. The technology provides an early warning system that enables law enforcement to intervene before a crime is committed”. Read more… Source: The organization’s page in the social network

Tbilisi. Within the framework of the 37th session of the United Nations Universal Periodic Review (UPR), organizations, working on human rights, presented a coalition alternative report on sexual and reproductive health and rights in Georgia.  “The report contains an appraisal of measures taken by Georgia in terms of sexual and reproductive health and rights since 2015 to date and a review of issues related to protection of specific groups and rights by the state”.  Read more… Source: emc.org.ge

Tbilisi. The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) presented Report N14 on monitoring of criminal proceedings. “The report serves to identify practical and legislative gaps, as well as positive trends, through attending criminal proceedings and analyzing revealed cases. It contains criminal proceedings related matters within the period from March 2019 to February 2020, that is when GYLA carried out monitoring of 2744 court hearings. Besides, it reflects key trends from the beginning of monitoring to date”, - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more… Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. On July 8, within the framework of the third cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC), Georgian Young Lawyers Association (GYLA) and Partnership for Human Rights (PHR) presented a coalition report at the United Nations Human Rights Council.  “The report covers the period of 2015-2020 years and appraises progress and challenges of ensuring certain social and economic rights”.  Read more… Source: emc.org.ge

Tbilisi. International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED) publishes a study: Femicide and challenges related to it in Georgia. “Present study is a kind of an attempt to review legislative guarantees that criminalize gender-based violence as well as femicide in Georgia, reveal problems that exist in practice in this area and elaborate recommendations”. Read more… Source:isfed.ge

Tbilisi. The Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI), together with the “Memorial” Society, launches a large-scale campaign. “The first activity is to demand an increase in a household subsidy defined for those repressed, as it is GEL7, a subsidy envisaged for specifically those recognized as victims of political repressions (along with people affected by the Chernobyl nuclear facility) that is lowest among amounts of household subsidies set by the state for various social categories. IDFI addressed an open letter to the Prime Minister of Georgia demanding to increase the subsidy”. Read more… Source:idfi.ge

Tbilisi. Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) presented a brief report related to the situation existing at the occupied regions of Georgia to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). “In the conditions of absence of independent mechanisms for monitoring human rights on the occupied territories, information of organizations working on human rights has a particular importance for the Office of the High Commissioner. It is already the fourth year that the OHCHR report, based on a relevant resolution of the UN Human Rights Council, broadly describes dire situation existing on the occupied territories of Georgia in terms of humanitarian needs and human rights. The information provided by EMC focuses on the most important circumstances occurred in 2019, severe humanitarian crisis and systemic violations of human rights”, - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more… Source: emc.org.ge

Tbilisi. On July 1, the Public Defender’s Office of Georgia, with the support of the UN Refugee Agency, held an online presentation on: "Legal Status of Foreign Citizens in Georgia." “The challenges and trends relating to the rights situation of migrants, asylum seekers and internationally protected persons, such as the low rate of granting international status in recent years, refusal on security reasons, alternatives to detention and integration, were discussed at the meeting”. Read more… Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. Signatory organizations express their extreme concern in regard to possible removal of fundamental records from the labor reform at the Parliament of Georgia and send an open letter to international organizations.  “This bill aims at bringing the Georgian Labor Code closer to international human rights standards and best practices. Proposed changes touch upon fundamental rights of workers, however the bill has appeared under attack from private interest and business lobby both formally at the Parliament and informally as it seems. As a result, its adoption is in jeopardy today. There are only a few sessions remaining until the end of the spring session and the risk of the bill being delayed or dropped increases gradually. This fact puts also fulfillment of obligations, committed through the Association Agreement, in doubt”, - is noted in the joint statement.  Read more… Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. IRC, GYLA, EMC and RIVG call on the Parliament of Georgia to resume revision of the bill on Personal Data Protection and ensure its timely adoption. "We consider that despite certain shortcomings and controversial issues, adoption of the bill will significantly improve the status of personal data protection and bring Georgian legal framework closer to the new European regulation (GDPR), while the current law is outdated and fails to meet existing challenges. At the same time, we think that relevant committees should carefully review those comments and suggestions that civil society organizations have provided in regard to the bill and ensure refinement/perfection of the bill prior to voting at the plenary session”, - is noted in the statement. Read more… Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. Media Advocacy Coalition considers that launching a criminal investigation into the story prepared by the TV Company “Mtavari” is a harsh, disproportionate response and a very dangerous precedent of interfering in the freedom of media.  “In the circumstances when a negative attitude of the Government specifically against the TV Company “Mtavari” is obvious (as a matter of fact, government officials publicly boycott the channel) and when Georgia has repeatedly appeared at the center of world attention due to abundance of facts of anti-Western propaganda instigated by disinformation and false reports, it is particularly concerning that SSG names the story, broadcasted on the “Mtavari” channel, as “sabotage”. This action gives an impression of using a repressive mechanism selectively. We think that launching a criminal prosecution under the article of sabotage due to the TV story may have an irreversible stinging effect on all means of media that are critical of the Government and affect an idea of control of the Government by citizens”, - is noted in the statement.  Read more… Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) responds to a strike announced by social agents. The organization considers it alarming that the Ministry of Health, as an agency responsible for protection of labor rights and promotion of social dialogue in the country, refuses to create basic working conditions for its employees and fails to ensure a fair and equal environment for negotiations. EMC calls on the Ministry of Health to meet fair demands of social agents. Read more… Source: emc.org.ge

Tbilisi. The undersigned organizations would like to respond to the statement of H.E. Hubert Knirsch, the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Georgia, posted on the embassy’s official Facebook page on June 25. The statement was in response to the Georgian NGOs’ critical assessment of Ms. Sopio Kiladze’s nomination for the membership to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC). Ms. Kiladze is the member of the Parliament of Georgia. We believe that the state-nominated candidate in Georgia vastly lacks personal and professional integrity and is notorious for her openly confrontational attitude to the civil society that is critical of her public statements and work. There have been myriad of well-documented instances of Ms. Kiladze’s verbal abuse of human rights defenders and activists, homophobic and discriminatory public statements, public display of selective approaches to human rights protection, particularly with regard to the LGBTQI community and children. This has been the common practice of the candidate to such an extent that the civil society had to resort to the various forms of open protest on several occasions[i]. Various international and local organizations and the media have reported these facts. We would, therefore, like to underline that the statement made by the NGOs is not an attack of a personal nature, but the candid assessment of the facts that disqualify the nominated candidate from taking the CRC membership. It is not only desirable, but also the duty of the civil society organizations to call out such a lack of integrity, selective application of human rights by the candidate and disregard of the procedures by the nominating state. Read more… Source: phrgeorgia.wordpress.com

Tbilisi. Media Advocacy Coalition member organizations respond to the initiative of Kakha Kaladze, Mayor of Tbilisi and Secretary General of “Georgian Dream”, in regard to creation of a new platform for media criticism. “We consider that initiation of such a campaign by a high-ranking political official against critical means of media does not meet expectations of a democratic society. It roughly contradicts to ethical values and principles of high-ranking officials. Especially when there is a risk of promoting aggression against journalists, verbal and physical assault”, - is noted in the statement. Read more…  Source: The website of the Coalition in a social network

Tbilisi. The Human Rights Center publishes a document on legal analysis of criminal cases related to June 20-21 developments. “The purpose of the document, is to make legal evaluation of criminal prosecution facts and criminal cases against various people, initiated after developments of June 20-21 last year, based on international practice and taking into account Georgian specifics. Read more… Source: humanrights.ge

Tbilisi. Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) evaluates shortcomings and risks revealed at the stage of elaboration and administration of an anti-crisis plan of the Government.  The organization considers that the process of releasing assistance is accompanied by significant problems, which means criteria for joining the program are vague or contradictory, existing procedures depend on goodwill of employer, certain vulnerable groups are left without support by the state and etc. At the same time, conditions of additional credit obligations, taken by the state, are still unclear and non-transparent. These circumstances cast doubt on effectiveness of the anti-crisis plan and raise important questions about its long-term consequences.  Read more…  Source: emc.org.ge

Tbilisi. The Georgian Center for Psychosocial and Medical Rehabilitation of Torture Victims – GCRT expresses its concern in regard to a story broadcasted through the air of “Mtavari Channel”. The story was about a porn trafficking of minors from 6 to 16 years of age.  “It is categorically unacceptable to spread photo and video material with nude, erotic content about children through the mass media, regardless of whether their faces are covered or not. This action is contrary to the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse. Hiding faces of children cannot prevent the risk of their identification by people who are personally familiar with juveniles involved in this process. Besides, the risk of retraumatization is high - nobody knows how strong feelings viewing this material will cause in adolescents who have experienced violence against themselves. It should also be noted that by publicizing these shots through the television, we practically leave photo and video material about children in the Internet for ever and victims will be able to see them even years later”, - is stated on the website of the organization.  Read more… Source: gcrt.ge

Tbilisi. The Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) publishes material: Ensuring public engagement in police activities. The organization considers that “for a democratic country it is important to ensure public engagement in the process of enhancement of police supervision and, based on a good practice, supports establishment of public engagement councils in Georgia as an independent external mechanism. Above councils will be allowed to review complaints, submitted against the police, along with other authorities”. Read more… Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. Signatory organizations and activists respond to the process of review of the bill on “Rights of Persons with Disabilities” and call on the Parliament of Georgia to ensure full compliance of the package of legislative changes with international obligations and active engagement of the community of people with disabilities in the process of its review.  “We once again reiterate our readiness to cooperate with the Parliament and the Ministry of Justice and participate in working meetings, where we will be given the opportunity to present our opinions and recommendations in regard to the bill in details. Only active communication will allow us to refine the document in such a way as to ensure its full compliance with international standards and to turn the bill into active mechanism for protecting rights of people with disabilities”, - is noted in the statement.  Read more… Source: gyla.ge