Tbilisi. The Gender Informational Portal publishes a blogpost, which states that according to a large-scale study of women rights Georgia ranks 53rd. ''Summarizing all components, the situation in Georgia in terms of women rights is average. However, the country is among those in the top 10 where boys are given the preference and the ratio between newborn girls and boys is 100 to 111 respectively'' – is stated on the website of the organization. Read more... Source:The website of the organization in a social network

Tbilisi. On October 25, 2017, the Georgian Public Defender organized International Conference on Civil Rights of Military Servants - Challenges and Prospects. Open discussion about civil rights of military servants – freedom of assembly and association, as well as freedom of expression, was held at the conference for the first time. Local and foreign experts discussed practices and legislations of various countries, including Georgia, and spoke about the restrictions on military service for different legitimate purposes during the implementation of civil rights. In full  Source: The organization’s webpage

Samtskhe-Javakheti. In order to protect the rights of Lola Z., a victim of violence, and her children, as witnesses of violence, the Akhaltsikhe District Court issued a restraining order against the offender on 24 October, 2017. Interests of victims in the court were represented by Georgian Democratic Initiative (GDI). Read more... Source:The website of the organization

Tbilisi. The Public Defender of Georgia is echoing the attack on the Georgian Dream's headquarters in the village of Kizilajlo, Marneuli municipality, on October 19, 2017, during which, a municipal council’s majoritarian candidate, a member of the municipal council and his family member were wounded. ''Ucha Nanuashvili calls on the election entities and voters to keep calm and states that violence during the election process is inadmissible. It is especially alarming that such a serious fact occurred two days before the elections. The Public Defender wishes the wounded persons to recover soon and hopes that investigation will be conducted efficiently, which will answer all questions'', is noted in the statement. In full… Source: www.ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. On October 5, 2017, the Public Defender addressed the Government of Georgia and the Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia with regard to the case of discrimination on grounds of nationality. ''According to the factual circumstances of the case, the applicant has a permanent residence permit in Georgia, but he/she cannot enjoy the state program on hepatitis C for not being a citizen of Georgia. The Public Defender notes in his recommendation that in terms of the purposes of social benefits, the citizens of Georgia and the persons with permanent residence permits are essentially in the same situation, as the persons with residence permit equally pay taxes established by the law and contribute to the welfare of the community; therefore, the state should not treat them like temporary visitors'', is noted in the statement. In full… Source: www.ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. On October 2, the Public Defender of Georgia addressed the Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia with a general proposal with regard to the encouragement of discrimination on grounds of sex. ''The Public Defender launched case proceedings based on the application of the Women's Initiatives Supportive Group (WISG). According to the organization, there is no state program tailored to the needs of female victims of sexual violence, which leads to inequality of women, as female victims of violence are at risk of getting pregnant. In the general proposal, the Public Defender requested the Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Affairs to discuss the allocation of funding for victims of rape within the state healthcare program if they get pregnant as a result of rape,'' is noted in the statement. In full… Source: www.ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. On October 2, 2017, the Public Defender of Georgia addressed the Minister of Labour, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia with a recommendation with regard to a case of discrimination on grounds of nationality. ''The applicant's interests were represented at the Public Defender's Office by the NGO -Young Lawyers’ Association. According to the factual circumstances of the case, the applicant is a member of a 7-member family which lives in a difficult economic situation. Her spouse is a foreign citizen who has no residence permit in Georgia. The applicant and her children had enjoyed social assistance, but the situation changed after her husband joined the family. The Public Defender calls on the Minister of Labour, Health and Social Affairs to modify the legislation on social assistance in such a way that the failure of a family member to meet certain criteria does not restrict the right of other family members to get social allowance'', is noted in the statement. In full… Source: www.ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. On October 11-12, 2017, in Brussels, the Public Defender of Georgia, Ucha Nanuashvili, met with the representatives of the European Parliament and the European Commission. ''The Public Defender of Georgia discussed the situation of human rights of Georgia. He underlined the positive processes following the adoption of the anti-discrimination law, improvement of the situation in the penitentiary system and successful implementation of the juvenile justice reform. He emphasized the shortcomings in the judiciary, the ongoing constitutional reform and the human rights situation in the occupied territories'', is noted in the statement. In full… Source: www.ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. The Public Defender of Georgia urges the state agencies not to hinder their representatives in performing their powers granted by the constitution and law of Georgia. "On October 10, 2017, Tbilisi main police department did not provide information requested by representatives of the Public Defender of Georgia about the whereabouts of participants of the protest held in front of Tbilisi City Council building, due to which, meeting with the detainees was artificially delayed for more than 3 hours”, - The Public Defender considers, - "Unfortunately, this is not the first case when the employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia fail to cooperate quickly and effectively with representatives of the Public Defender of Georgia and impede the realization of their authority to immediately meet with the detained persons without reasonable, legitimate reasons”. In full  Source: The organization’s webpage

Tbilisi. The Open Society Georgia Foundation responds to developments that take place in the Tbilisi City Assembly and considers that the interested society has been restricted to attend the sitting unlawfully. The organization considers arbitrary closure of the Assembly sitting unacceptable and expresses its readiness to support civil society in the process of contesting the unlawful decision in court. Read more... Source:The website of the organization

Tbilisi. A representative of the Department of Prevention and Monitoring of the Public Defender’s Office of Georgia monitored the joint return operation of the Georgian citizens residing on the territory of the EU countries without permission. The Public Defender’s Office noted the process of reception, checking and travelling of the Georgian citizens was monitored non-stop. No incident has taken place and no force or special means were used during the return operation. Handover of information booklets, which provided information about the state program on reintegration of returned migrants, to the Georgian citizens on board should be praised. However, mentioned that telephone communication with family members was still problematic. In full Source: The website of the organization

Tbilisi. Civil society organizations, operating in Georgia, release a statement regarding detention of a Georgian activist in Akhalgori. "We, the undersigned organizations, respond to the facts of persecution committed on August 16, 2017, by the de facto regime of Tskhinvali against Tamar Mearakishvili, a Georgian civic activist and journalist living in Akhalgori district, and call on the government of Georgia to use all available diplomatic and legal means to ensure protection of safety and rights of the activists”, - the statement reads. Read more… Source:The website of "Homan Rights Education and Monitoring Center”

Tbilisi. The Georgian Young Lawyers Association publishes a special statement regarding a rally that takes place at the JSC "Georgian Railway” and calls on the police to stop meddling in the right to peaceful assembly. "Meddling in the right to assembly has become of a continuous character and participants of the rally are not still given possibility to express peaceful protest in the form they give preference. It should be noted that the tent was set up at the same place where the hunger strike is taking place. Mentioned area is not a passage for transport. Holding the rally by its participants at the selected place does not hinder the traffic and neither does it cause an obstruction/blockage of any of the buildings. Respectively, actions of the police, to not allow setting up the tent by participants of the rally at the place of assembly, is a demonstration of control over a peaceful assembly form, which violates the essence of the right to assembly guaranteed by both the Constitution of Georgia and the Law of Georgia on Assemblies and Demonstrations”, - the statement reads. GYLA also urges the Department of General Inspection of the Ministry of Internal Affairs to study actions of those policemen who took part in the restriction of the right to peaceful assembly and to respond accordingly. Read more… Source:The website of the organization

Tbilisi.Read the council of Europe handbook for legal practitioners, "protecting migrants under the European convention on humanrights and the Europe... In full  Source:The page of the organization in a social network

Tbilisi. Human Rights House Tbilisi has launched a project in support of Azerbaijani human rights defenders. One of the main objectives of the project is to assist and empower human rights defenders, journalists and activists, their family members exiled from Azerbaijan, to facilitate their integration in Georgia. Within the framework of the project journalistic works related to ethnic Azerbaijanis living in Georgia will also be prepared. Human Rights House Tbilisi implements the project with the financial support of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Georgia in cooperation with its member organizations – "Human Rights Center”, "Georgian Centre for Psychosocial and Medical Rehabilitation of Torture Victims”, "Article 42 of the Constitution”, "Sapari”, "Caucasian Centre for Human Rights and Conflict Studies - Caucasia”, "Media Institute”. Read more… Source:The website of the organization

Tbilisi. Public Defender published a statement on information about detention of civil activist Tamar Mearakishvili. "According to media reports spread on August 16, 2017, local resident and civil activist Tamar Mearakishvili was detained in the occupied district of Akhalgori. Tamar Mearakishvili had always been actively expressing her civic positions and critical opinions aimed at protecting the rights of the Akhalgori population. Due to this, she had been under pressure from the de facto authorities in recent years, which ended up by her abduction in July of this year. The Public Defender assesses the detention of Tamar Mearakishvili as illegal deprivation of liberty, pressure on the civil activist and restriction on freedom of expression. This detention should also be assessed as a compulsion to leave Akhalgori permanently. It's worrying that pressure on civil activists and non-governmental organizations has acquired a regular character in the so-called South Ossetian region. The Public Defender calls on the de facto authorities to immediately release Tamar Mearakishvili. He also calls on the Government of Georgia to take all measures for the protection of the safety of Tamar Mearakishvili and her release”, - said the Public Defender. In full  Source: The website of the organization

Tbilisi. The Public Defender of Georgia responds to the fact of restriction of freedom of assembly of railway workers. "For the second day, due to changes in labor conditions, there is a hunger strike held at the administrative building of the JSC "Georgian Railway”. On August 15, 2017, representatives of the Public Defender of Georgia visited the action and performed its monitoring twice. According to the appraisal of the Public Defender, participants of the rally are unlawfully deprived of the right to set up a tent, which prevents them from the process of complete realization of freedom of assembly”, - reads the statement. The Public Defender calls on the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia to ensure introduction of lawful principles, related to freedom of assembly, as soon and efficiently as possible in its activities. The Public Defender considers that it is important to take appropriate measures in regard to the August 15 incident in due course and, in the future, under conditions of legitimate circumstances, to not prevent participants of this and other rallies from using a tent and realizing freedom of assembly. Read more… Source:The website of the organization  

Tbilisi. A representative of the Public Defender of Georgia shared experience, existing in Georgia in regard to struggle against overcrowding of prison, with the UN Committee Against Torture. The presentation was made on August 7-8, in Geneva, at a working meeting organized by "International Reform of Prison”, an international non-governmental organization. The representative of the Public Defender of Georgia talked about an issue of overcrowding of prison, which had been a problem for years in Georgia. He underlined that this overcrowding was caused by strict criminal policy and shortcomings of criminal justice. It was also mentioned in the presentation that while evaluating the issue of overcrowding of prison, special attention must be given to the circumstance as to how much the penitentiary system has capability to provide each of the prisoners with appropriate services, because re-socialization is a milestone of a sentence. Read more… Source:The website of the organization

Tbilisi. GYLA publishes a legal review of those issues, on which the court has to draw attention while proceeding with the case of extradition of Mustafa Emre Chabuk. The organization calls on the third government to adhere to presented standards and emphasizes that the court may allow probability of extradition only in the case if all of the following conditions are met: The action of Mustafa Emre Chabuk is qualified as a crime; Existence of a political offense is excluded; There is no reasonable assumption that extradition of a person is requested for the purpose of his conviction and punishment on a political ground; There is no reasonable assumption that in Turkey Mustafa Emre Chabuk becomes a victim of torture, as well as cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment; In case of extradition, possibility of using the right to a fair trial is ensured. Read more… Source:The website of the organization

Tbilisi. L.Gh. an employee of the Public Defender's Office, and his companion I.Gh. were physically and verbally abused by 15-20 guards in the vicinity of the Lilo market at about 9:30 am, on July 29, 2017. As a result, L.Gh. and I.Gh. received various injuries. ''The Public Defender of Georgia calls on the law enforcement agencies to conduct all necessary investigative and procedural actions in order to establish objective circumstances and punish the perpetrators'', is noted in the statement. In full… Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. Non-governmental organizations and lawyers release an address regarding restriction of freedom of religion in the Constitution. ''In general, the only conclusion, which the project allows to make, is that the legislator is willing to weaken the ground for ensuring freedom of faith and religious diversity'' – is noted in the joint statement. Read more… Source:tdi.ge

Tbilisi. Council of Religions release an address regarding the restrictions of freedom of belief, conscience, and religion, envisaged by the new draft of the amendments to be added in the Georgian Constitution. ''We believe that the added criteria present a new risk for the unjustified restriction of religious freedom. The addition of causes such as state security, prevention of crime, and implementation of justice raises utmost concern. The abovementioned criteria are not easily foreseeable and create a high risk for their misuse in pursuing aims unlike those necessary for the existence of a legitimate and democratic state'', is noted in the statement. In full… Source: www.ombudsman.ge