Tbilisi. Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) appraises legal status of homeless. “Homelessness is one of the severe forms of social exclusion and it entails encroachment upon various rights, including the right to adequate housing, the right to life, the right to health, the right to respect for private and family life, besides, it is associated with cases of inhuman treatment. In the circumstances of addressing minimal needs to exist, this part of society finds it difficult to talk about its rights and advocate for basic interests”, - is noted in the statement of the organization. Read more… Source: emc.org.ge

Tbilisi. On behalf of 16 people, GYLA applied to the Tbilisi City Court and demanded to abolish the prosecutor resolution, based on which respective status was not granted to people affected on June 20-21. GYLA demands the court to annul the resolution passed by the Prosecutor's Office and take a decision in regard to granting the status of victim to 16 people affected on June 20-21. The court has to consider the complaint within 15 days. Read more… Source:The website of the organization

Tbilisi. The Public Defender of Georgia found harassment on the ground of different opinion in the workplace against the Ltd Black Sea Group Company and its Deputy Director.  According to the case file, the Deputy Director used forms of unethical communication with applicants subordinated to him/her, including in the presence of third parties. In particular, he/she used offensive expressions and created a hostile and degrading work environment as a person with power. In addition, despite the applicants' request, the Director of the company did not respond to the above facts.  Read more…  Source: The web-page of the organization

Tbilisi. The Public Defender of Georgia filed an amicus curiae brief with the Tbilisi Court of Appeal in connection with the criminal case of the murder of Vitali Saparov.  The Public Defender, as a mechanism to combat discrimination, made such a decision as the case included alleged hate motive. In the amicus curiae brief, the Public Defender discussed the indicators of hate motive based on standards established by international institutions, as well as the importance of identification of such motive.  Read more…  Source: The web-page of the organization

Tbilisi. The Public Defender of Georgia is responding to the reports about alleged sexual and physical abuse committed by a member of Tbilisi City Assembly against his employee.  ‘Depending on the gravity and sensitivity of the case, the Public Defender calls on the Prosecutor General's Office of Georgia to conduct an effective investigation, including by carrying out all necessary investigative or other procedural actions. In addition, it is important to eliminate any doubts about political interests or biased investigation, and the investigating authority to actively cooperate with the alleged victim and her representative’, - Is mentioned in a Public Defender’s statement.  Read more…  Source: The web-page of the organization

Committee of Ministers of Council of Europe has published its decision on the supervision on the case of Identoba and others v Georgia at 1355th CM meeting, 23-25 September 2019 (DH).  By the EMC, in addition, the Court held that the authorities had breached their obligation to ensure that the march could take place peacefully by failing sufficiently to contain homophobic and violent counter-demonstrators (violation of Article 11 taken in conjunction with Article 14).  Read more… Source: https://emc.org.ge

Tbilisi. According to information of the Gender Informational Portal, Esma Gumberidze, a representative of youth of Georgia, delivered a speech at the UN. “In her speech, Esma Gumberidze spoke about the necessity of inclusion of people with disabilities in all aspects of social, political, economic and cultural life. As she said, it is important to identify such people and barriers and, first of all, hear their voice”, - is stated on the website of the portal.  Read more… Source: www.ginsc.net

Tbilisi. Transparency International Georgia has requested information from the city halls and Sakrebulos of Batumi, Khulo, Keda, Shuakhevi, Kobuleti and Khelvachauri municipalities to determine to what extent the existing legislation supports citizen engagement, whether municipal authorities make use of the opportunities provided by the legislation and with what issues the citizens address the local self-government. “This study shows that compared to previous years, municipalities in Adjara have been using the mechanisms of citizen engagement more effectively: the possibility of submitting petitions electronically in Keda, Kobuleti, Khelvachauri and Batumi is particularly noteworthy, however, according to Transparency International Georgia, the following steps need to be considered to further improve citizen engagement”. Read more… Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. The Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies publishes a blog post: Policy of Kremlin in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region: Important news of September.  “The article provides an overview of important developments occurred in September 2019 that are related to the policy of Kremlin in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region”, - is stated on the website of the organization.  Read more… Source: kremlin-roadmap.gfsis.org

Tbilisi. Lawyer to defend rights of Akhalgori activist and journalist, Tamar Mearakishvili.  “Human Rights House Tbilisi” with the financial support of donors – “Human Rights House Foundation and “Urgent Action Fund” will completely cover the expenses of Tamar Mearakishvili’s lawyer. Tamar Merakishvili was kidnapped for several hours in August 2017 and de-facto authorities of the occupied Tskhinvali launched a case against her. Akhalgori District Court dropped all charges against Mearakishvili, but the so-called prosecution remitted the case to the court in July 2019. Read more…  Source: The web-page of the organization

Tbilisi. Georgian Democracy Initiative (GDI) publishes a blog post: Hate Speech in Public Service.  “The study contains a review of a legislative framework that defines restriction of use of hate speech by people employed at public sector. Within the process of survey there were identified those civil servants who used hate speech in public space”, - is stated on the website of the organization.  Read more… Source: gdi.ge

Tbilisi. By an official letter of the European Court of Human Rights of September 27, 2019, the Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) has been notified that on September 23, the European Court made its decision in regard to substantive review of the Machalikashvili case and began communicating with the government.  “It is important that the European Court started substantive review of the case in time and as a matter of priority, which fact in this case, among others, emphasizes severity of breach of the right as well as high level and importance of the conventional right to live”, - is stated on the website of the organization.  Read more… Source: emc.org.ge

Tbilisi. “Transparency International Georgia” will defend rights of journalists Nanuka Zhorzholiani and Nodar Meladze in court.  “There has been contested a decision of Paata Salia, Director General of TV Company Rustavi 2, based on which Nanuka Zhorzholiani and Nodar Meladze were illegally dismissed from the TV Company on the ground of gross violation of their official duties”.  Read more…   Source: The website of the organization in a social network

Tbilisi. Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) publishes information regarding a decision on the case of the Batumi mosque.  “In particular, the court made a decision that a legal act, issued by the Batumi City Hall that restricts the Muslim community to build a new mosque in Batumi, is illegal and discriminatory”, - is stated on the website of the organization.  Read more… Source: emc.org.ge

Tbilisi. Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) responds to the protest of Tkibuli miners.  “We consider that the complicated situation, occurred in Tkibuli, is the responsibility of the state and it fully reflects condition entailed by complete neglect of toughest challenges faced by the City over the years. This condition threatens the future of not only people employed at shafts but the entire region as well. Despite numerous demands, the state is still missing development plans for Tkibuli and other industrial cities, thus keeping those employed at the company and population of the region in complete uncertainty and ambiguity”, - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more… Source: emc.org.ge

Tbilisi. According to information of Partnership for Human Rights (PHR) both the Prosecutor's Office and court did not consider a 9-year-old beaten child with autism spectrum to be a victim.  “The father restricted to include Petre in therapeutic courses and blamed the mother of the child for his diagnosis. He brutally punished the child because of a diagnosis of autism. An investigation, initiated in September 2018 in regard to the fact of domestic violence, revealed that victims of both physical and emotional abuse were the mother and sisters of Petre as well, in whose presence the father used to beat and throw various objects onto his wife and son with disability. The Prosecutor's Office recognized the mother and two children as victims of violence, while refused to grant Petre the status of affected”, - is stated on the website of the organization.  Read more… Source: phrgeorgia.wordpress.com

On 23 September 2019, the Public Defender of Georgia, Nino Lomjaria, opened the Rule of Law Session at the 2019 Human Dimension Implementation Meeting of OSCE Participating States in the Polish Capital of Warsaw.  While addressing participants of the meeting, the Georgian Public Defender spoke about the human rights challenges in Georgia and in the region. She was the only head of a national human rights institution to receive such an honor this year.  Read more… Source: The web-page of the organization

Tbilisi. Human Rights Education and Monitoring (EMC) publishes a blog post: “Report of the Advisory Committee of the European Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities on Georgia”. “The Advisory Committee considers that the process of implementation of the Framework Convention has not been substantially changed since the previous monitoring. The Committee welcomes enactment of anti-discrimination legislation, special strategies, action plans and programs in the field of integration to support equality and integration, however, it observes substantial challenges in terms of implementation the Framework Convention and ensuring equality in reality”, - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more… Source: emc.org.ge

Tbilisi. “Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center” responds to a briefing of the President of Georgia of today, during which she announced a moratorium on the use of an exclusive authority of pardoning entrusted to the President. “Announcing a moratorium on the use of an authority of pardoning with an indefinite period of time in response to the criticism emerged within the society after using a discretionary authority of pardoning by the President without any justification, brings harm to those convicts at penitentiary institutions, for whom the pardoning mechanism is often the last opportunity for justice“, - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more… Source: emc.org.ge

Tbilisi. ”No to Phobia!” platform member organizations release a statement concerning expressions used in regard to the Batumi Mosque.  “We call on government representatives and public officials to refrain from making statements of xenophobic and discriminatory character and to adhere to the principles of freedom of religion, rule of law and equality, guaranteed by the Constitution”, - is noted in the statement released by “No to Phobia!” platform member organizations.  Read more… Source: www.humanrights.ge

Tbilisi. The Public Defender of Georgia joins the public criticism regarding the pardoning of certain individuals by the President of Georgia and calls on the President to ensure maximum transparency and public involvement in the exercise of pardon power.  ‘The Public Defender explains that the discretionary nature of the pardon power does not imply its use without any justification. Pardoning should be aimed at achieving a specific task – be it in light of state, political, judicial, or special individual circumstances.1In each case, the use of such an exceptional power must be as perceptible and understandable as possible for the public’, - Is mentioned in the statement of the Public Defender.  Read more… Source: The web-page of the organization

Tbilisi. Transparency International - Georgia considers that during actions, taking place after June 20, citizens of Georgia, including Members of Parliament of Georgia, journalists and representatives of the non-parliamentary opposition, have been deprived the right to enter the building of the Parliament of Georgia a number of times. “Openness and transparency of the Parliament are essential for democratic development of the country. It is important for the Parliament of Georgia to maintain those achievements of openness and transparency, which indicate high standards and have gained international recognition”, - is noted in the statement released by the organization, - “We call on the Open Governance Permanent Parliamentary Council, within the framework of parliamentary openness and transparent governance monitoring at the Parliament, to study and evaluate facts of prohibition on entry of citizens and Members of Parliament into the Parliament building within the period after June 20”. Read more… Source: The website of the organization