Tbilisi. On October 23, International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED), Georgian Democracy Initiative (GDI) and the Human Rights Center (HRC) conducted a presentation of a study – “Democracy and human rights in the conditions of pandemic and state of emergency”. “A group of researchers, invited by GDI and ISFED, spent four months studying both the legal framework, as well as international standards, and measures taken by the Government of Georgia in regard to the new coronavirus (COVID-19). HRC provides legal assistance to people affected by measures taken by the Government of Georgia. The project is implemented with the financial support of the Open Society Georgia Foundation. The purpose of the study was to work out critical analysis of the legal framework and develop relevant recommendations in regard to the existing shortcomings, on the one hand, while on the other hand, to evaluate constitutionality of regulations adopted by the Government of Georgia within 2020”, - is noted in the statement. Read more… Source:gdi.ge

Tbilisi. Transparency International Georgia publishes a report: State of the judiciary 2016-2020. “Present report contains a review of significant developments and legislative changes that have taken place in the judiciary system over the last four years, which provides an opportunity to both make their systemic analysis and evaluate situation existing within the judiciary. It may be noted that implemented reforms did not address those fundamental issues, which would ultimately ensure establishment of the independent judiciary system. The government has failed to demonstrate the political will to carry out a full and fundamental reform of the judiciary. Respectively, the judiciary system is still not freed from unhealthy influences”, - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more… Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. The two-day preliminary hearing on the physical and psychological violence committed by the accused Nikoloz Basilashvili against his ex-wife Neli Dorokashvili in the presence of a minor ended yesterday. The judge explained that the evidence presented by the prosecutor's office provides a high degree of probability for the presumption that a guilty verdict would be handed down against Nikoloz Basilashvili on all five episodes. Due to the high public interest in this case, we provide the information about the ongoing processes. Read more… Source: phr.ge

Tbilisi. The Economic Policy Research Center (EPRC) publishes an article about “Strategic vision for developing the healthcare system - Reconciled provisions”. “This is the first time when there are developed compromised, reconciled documents, related to the healthcare system, and signed by people from different political parties as well as with different political views”. Read more… Source: The website of the organization in a social network

Tbilisi. Transparency International Georgia publishes its comments on a resolution passed by the Central Election Commission to regulate an issue of participation of “coronavirus”-infected inpatient and isolated voters in the elections, however, the organization considers that the resolution contains a number of shortcomings. “1) Inclusion of people, who are in self-isolation or undergoing treatment at home, into the mobile ballot box list only if they apply to the CEC from October 24 through October 26 is unjustifiable, because such voters will not be able to vote if they do not manage to apply in time. 2) Voting will be carried out only through a portable ballot box. We consider that it would be better to set up special polling stations in those inpatient and quarantine facilities, which count more than 30 voters, thus allowing to make the voting process more transparent and better monitored”. Read more… Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. Transparency International Georgia appraises the state of the media in Georgia prior to the elections, as a rule. “In this case, there has been carried out an appraisal of the period from the 2016 parliamentary elections to the present (to the 2020 parliamentary elections), which makes it clear that approaches of “Georgian Dream” towards the critical media have become stricter than those in the previous reporting period”, - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more… Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. On October 22, International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED) presented the fifth interim report on pre-election monitoring of the October 31, 2020 elections of the Parliament of Georgia. “According to the appraisal of the organization, main challenges to the electoral environment remain to be facts of pressure / threatening / obstruction committed against voters, activists and opposition politicians”. Read more… Source: isfed.ge

EU and UNDP Georgia releases research on Georgian perceptions of Alternative Dispute Resolution. See some of the findings below or check it out here... Source: EU’s Page in the social network

The web portal CsoGeorgia.org releases a weekly newsletter of grants competition, contests, vacancies, fellowships, and tenders for civil society organizations and for any interested person. Newsletter...

Tbilisi. The Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies releases a publication, which, on the basis of a review of examples, reveals how Russia uses hacker groups, affiliated with “GRU”, the Main Intelligence Directorate, to carry out the desired policy in European countries. Read more… Source: www.gfsis.org

Tbilisi. On October 19 and 20, the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) submitted written opinions to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. The document contained an evaluation of the state of execution of several decisions and rulings made by the European Court of Human Rights against Georgia. Read more… Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. The Media Development Foundation (MDF) publishes a study on financial transparency of media that reflects 2019 data. “The report, which is published annually by the Media Development Foundation, deals with revenues declared by the broadcast media as required by law, on the one hand, while on the other hand, with the practice of allocation of budgetary funds within media aiming at disseminating advertisements”, - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more… Source: mdfgeorgia.ge

Tbilisi. The President of the Georgia Red Cross Society Natia Loladze and the Secretary General Nino Osepaishvili had a meeting with the Director General of the National Centre for Disease Control and Public Health (NCDC) Amiran Gamkrelidze. The parties discussed the COVID-19 response activities of the GRCS, also reviewed the various actions taken by the National Society during the pandemic. Read more… Source: The organization’s page in the social network

Tbilisi. Civil society organizations are responding to the extremely complicated epidemiological situation in the country. The organizations evaluate the existing situation and call on the state to make decisions related to combating COVID-19 as transparently as possible. CSOs consider that it is necessary to inform population about plans the state has in case the situation develops at different scenarios. “We would like to express our heartfelt sorrow in regard to significant increase in the number of infections and deaths caused by COVID-19 in Georgia. It seems the state finds it further more difficult to deal with the crisis along with the increasing number of infected people”. Read more… Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. Transparency International Georgia publishes a report: Corruption and anti-corruption policy in Georgia: 2016-2020 years. “The report contains a review the current situation in terms of corruption and anti-corruption policy in Georgia in 2016-2020 years. The document focuses on the following issues: corruption indicators; anti-corruption policy documents, legislation and implementation; fulfillment of international anti-corruption commitments; possible cases of high-level corruption and political corruption”. Read more… Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) publishes an article: Muslim women from highland Adjara: Part II – confronting daily life. “This article is the second part of a study conducted to survey life of Muslim women in Adjara. The first part contained description of importance of Islam for Adjara Muslim women and various ways of expressing their agency. The main focus of the second part of the article is to start both conversation about political-economic aspects of Adjara and description of a multi-layer life of women”, - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more… Source: emc.org.ge

Adjara. During the #COVID19 outbreak the volunteers of the #GRCS Batumi branch distributed parcels of basic necessities to the vulnerable community in Batumi: The socially vulnerable, single older people aged 70 and over; The older people, who live only with persons with the special needs (people with disabilities); The retirees, who live alone and need home care assistance; The retirees, who are socially vulnerable and have special needs (people with disabilities). Read more… Source: The organization’s page in the social network

Tbilisi. On October 19, 2020, Nino Lomjaria, Public Defender of Georgia, met with Tamar Zhvania, Chairperson of the Central Election Commission, and received information about the tasks of the Commission, as well as the expected obstacles. The readiness of the Central Election Commission to hold fair, equitable and free elections was also the topic of discussion. The Public Defender showed particular interest in the protection of the voting rights of hospitalized, quarantined and self-isolated citizens. The parties also talked about the rights of persons with disabilities and the adjustment of the election environment to them. Read more… Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy publishes a document, which contains a review of the Minsk crisis in the context of regional geopolitical dynamics, EU response activities and Eastern Partnership (EaP) initiative, as well as its impact on Georgia. Besides, it emphasizes interests of the European Union, EaP countries and Russia in the current situation in Belarus. Furthermore, it also contains an overview of possible scenarios for future developments. Read more… Source: isfed.ge

Tbilisi. Civil society organizations respond to the aggravated epidemic situation in the Tskhinvali region and call on the Government of Georgia to intensify negotiations with the de facto Tskhinvali regime immediately, as well as to use international political mechanisms in order to restore freedom of movement in a timely manner and increase access to medical services. Read more… Source: gyla.ge

Shida Kartli. Volunteers from the Gori Center for Civic Engagement, operating under the “Welfare and Development Center”, visited an extremely poor family of Pavliashvili living in the mountainous village of Biisi. “We brought the family various household items, as well as books and different educational goods, which made the girls very happy”. Read more… Source: The website of the organization in a social network

Tbilisi. On October 14, 2020, Freedom House published an annual report on Internet freedom around the world. In 2020, Georgia obtained a score of 76 out of 100 and was assessed as “Free” in terms of Internet freedom. The country’s score improved by 1 point compared to 2019. Read more… Source: idfi.ge