Tbilisi. On April 26, 2016, the Public Defender’s Tolerance Center organized a working meeting – ''Current situation of Roma people in Georgia'' at the National Library. ''It is important to consider European practice and to promote network initiatives, which will increase the Roma community’s access to education, health and social protection systems, employment; these initiatives must be well coordinated and must, above all, increase awareness of the Roma community about their rights'',- said First Deputy Public Defender Paata Beltadze at the opening of the event. In full… Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. The Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) publishes an article: "Necessity of creation of effective mechanism for labor inspection”. ''We consider that until social partners achieve consensus on creation of an inspection with full mandate, meanwhile, for immediate prevention of the cases of large-scale harm or decease of employees, it is necessary to put on the agenda an issue of revision of existing mechanism of inspection and, as an exception, on the first stage to equip the department immediately with an authority of performing unhindered and direct inspection of enterprises with difficult, harmful and hazardous conditions, which in addition will have further authority of providing appropriate and effective response to the facts of violation of working conditions and safety standards'' – is stated on the web-page of the organization. In full... Source: emc.org.ge

Tbilisi. One of the important issues in the Public Defender's report 2015 is monitoring of state subprograms on foster care and reintegration, which was first held in 2015 within the mandate of the Public Defender by the support from the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). ''The monitoring assessed performance of foster care and reintegration procedures by the responsible agencies on the basis of recommendations of the Venice Commission, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the relevant resolutions of the European Council of Ministers in the following areas: violence, exploitation and other forms of ill-treatment, protection from poverty and inadequate living conditions, privacy and individual approach, high-quality and timely health care, equal access to education, discrimination and unequal treatment'', is noted in the statement. In full… Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. On April 22, 2016, the Consultative Council for Monitoring the Implementation, Promotion and Protection of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities held another working meeting, which was attended by Public Defender Ucha Nanuashvili, First Deputy Public Defender Paata Beltadze and invited members of the Council. ''The meeting was opened by the Public Defender. The Council discussed the issues put on the agenda: activities planned and implemented for monitoring of the promotion, protection and implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the state’s preliminary report on the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; the monitoring methodology and participation of members of the Consultative Council in preparation of other alternative reports on the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities'', is noted in the statement. In full… Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association responds to the transfer of the case of Ekaterine Mishveladze from the Prosecutor’s Office to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. ''GYLA considers that the transfer of the case of Ekaterine Mishveladze to the Ministry of Internal Affairs for investigation raises doubts about the independence and effectiveness of the investigation from the initial stage'' – is noted in the statement of the organization. In full... Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. Public Defender Echoes Recent Media Reports (about Annual Report) ''Recently, purposeful distortion of the assessments and problems depicted in the chapter on religious freedom of the Public Defender's annual report has acquired a systematic nature. In particular, according to media reports, the Public Defender demands ban of school tours to churches, which is not true'', is noted in the statement. In full… Source: www.ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. On April 15 and 18, 2015, the Public Defender addressed the Chief Prosecutor to launch investigations into cases of illegal detentions. The Public defender considers that in the mentioned cases the employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs violated the requirements of the Constitution and the Administrative Code of Georgia. In full… Source: www.ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. Member organizations of the campaign ''This Affects You'' request statistical data from the Prosecutor’s Office. ''We address to you on behalf of the campaign ''This Affects You'' and, considering the requirements of both the Constitution of Georgia and the General Administrative Code of Georgia, request to provide us the following public information from October 1, 2012 to the present: how many cases of investigation have been initiated in relation to the facts of infringement of information reflecting private life or personal data, as well as to the facts of violation of secrecy of private communication, cybercrime and cyberterrorism (please, indicate respective articles of the CC); how many individuals have been plead guilty based on mentioned crimes, among them, how many of the accused are civil servants (please indicate their official positions) ...'' – is stated in the address. In full... Source:esshengexeba.ge

Tbilisi. On April 14, 2016, the Constitutional Court of Georgia upheld the Public Defender's lawsuit regarding the compliance of a legislative regulation with the Constitution concerning the so-called "wiretapping". ''The Constitutional Court shared the Public Defender’s position and held that technical possibility of the State Security Service to obtain personal information in real time, to administer it and have direct access to it, contains excessive risks of interference with the person’s right to privacy'', is noted in the statement. In full… Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. The Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics, with the support of the United Nations Children's Fund, begins a new round of monitoring of coverage of children issues. ''The purpose of the media monitoring is a study of materials regarding children issues, published in an electronic, online and printed media; an analysis of correspondence with children rights, norms of ethics and professional standards of in-depth coverage. The monitoring will be held from April 1 to November 30 of 2016'' – is stated on the web-page of the organization. In full… Source:www.media.ge

Tbilisi. On April 6-7, 2016, a meeting was held with journalists on the issue of creation of an independent investigation mechanism at the initiative of Public Defender Ucha Nanuashvili. The recommendation on the creation of an independent investigative mechanism was prepared by the Public Defender in 2014. However, in spite of its great importance, the recommendation has not been implemented yet. ''The Public Defender reviewed cases of torture, inhuman and degrading treatment committed by law enforcement officers and emphasized the need for and models of an institutionally independent investigation mechanism. He highlighted the shortcomings of the current law in terms of the investigation of similar crimes, as well as the established practice of impunity'', is noted in the statement. In full… Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. The Tolerance and Diversity Institute (TDI) responds to the statement of Levan Izoria, Deputy Head of the State Security Service. Perceiving foreign students as a potential threat to the state security on the grounds of their religion, ethnicity, race, skin color and nationality, furthermore, declaring this fact publicly by a political official creates discriminatory environment; contains high risk of inciting to hatred, encouraging crime, motivated with hate, and contradicts to the principles of democratic state" – is noted in the statement of the organization. In full… Source:tdi.ge

Tbilisi. The Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) held a working meeting with the members of the "Self-Organization Network", "Green Fist", "Young Greens" and "Auditorium 115". At the meeting the participants discussed main challenges and achievements of Tkibuli strike, as well as participation of activist groups in the process. In full... Source:The web-page of the organization in a social network

Tbilisi. The ''Tolerance and Diversity Institute (TDI)'' defends interests of Vagif Akperov, a former Sheikh of the ''Administration of Muslims of All Georgia'', and demands investigation of alleged crime committed against him. ''Akperov explained that since 2012, after the change of government, there was a political pressure put on him and the facts of the state meddling into the autonomy of the religious organization were revealed. According to Akperov, he was told to not participate in public meetings, conferences, and to not associate with other religious communities'' – is stated on the web-page of the organization. In full... Source:tdi.ge  

Tbilisi. The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association publishes an article: ''Women victims of domestic violence that again have been put in danger by a court''. ''The monitoring of criminal trial processes (the monitoring was conducted from February 2015 through October 2015) showed that courts sometimes have inadequate approach to the cases of domestic violence and the alleged perpetrators are punished by them with very light sanctions'' – is stated on the web-page of the organization. In full… Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi.On March 25, non-governmental organizations, participating in the campaign "This Affects You", held a protest rally in front of the prosecutor's office. The society members, gathered at the action, once again called on the law enforcement agencies to investigate in time the facts of publicizingvideos reflecting private life and threatening with other recordings. In full… Source: The web-page of the organization in a social network

Tbilisi. On March 22, information regarding "Saknakhshiri GIG group" Ltd. proposing new individual contracts to miners employed in Tkibuli was spread out. ''The Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center considers that the attempt of the company to propose discriminatory conditions to employees and to convince them to accept the contract immediately is a dishonest and illegal step, which aims at annulling the results of the agreement reached during Tkibuli strike on February 29, 2016 and other previously existing agreements'' – is noted in the statement of the organization. In full… Source: emc.org.ge

Tbilisi. The Tolerance and Diversity Institute (TDI) studies the facts of alleged violation of rights of Muslim community members on a state border of Georgia, at the Sarpi border crossing point. ''Interim results of the survey, performed in Adjara region, show that alleged facts of violation of rights of Muslim community representatives often take place while crossing Turkish-Georgian border, specifically at the Georgian border crossing point, especially if they have non-Georgian literature and/or items for religious purpose with them'' – is stated on the web-page of the organization. In full… Source:tdi.ge

Tbilisi. On March 21th, within the Commission of Status on Women 60 session, Global Fund for Women organized an event in partnership with Action for Rural Women’s Empowerment and SOS Sahel. ''Parallel event called ''The Time for Human Rights for Rural Women Is Now'' aimed at representing the impact report executive summary of the project on increasing food security and advancing their human right'', is noted in the statement. In full… Source: Social network

Tbilisi. The Public Defender of Georgia was elected as a full member of the Bureau of the Global Alliance for National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) at the meeting held in Geneva on March 22, 2016. Georgia’s affiliation with the alliance's governing bureau was supported by representatives of about 100 National Human Rights Institutions. In full... Source: ombudsman.ge