Tbilisi. The “No to Phobia!” civil platform expresses its concern in regard to the xenophobic/ Turkophobic rhetoric of the political party “Alliance of Patriots” and considers that activities of the party contain signs of stirring up ethnic tensions, which is prohibited under Paragraph 3 of Article 23 of the Constitution of Georgia. “Political parties enjoy freedom of expression and hence they have the right to express their views publicly, even if it is incorrect and misleading, however, at the same time, they have a high responsibility to not use a political platform for causing misunderstanding among various groups of the society and creating new hotbeds of conflict. The latter is especially dangerous in the reality of Georgia”, - is noted in the statement. Read more… Source:gdi.ge

Tbilisi. Human Rights Center prepared the interim reports of the court proceedings of the cases with alleged political motives, and the protest assemblies. “During the court monitoring it was identified that on the cases under the monitoring of HRC the right to a fair trial was not ensured by the system of criminal justice of Georgia. Despite the fact that the deficiencies identified during the court hearings do not expressly violate the right to fair trial per se, the combination of some individual cases, particular legislative defects and generally problematic court practice, further, the existence of selective justice and alleged political motives threatens the protection of the right to a fair trial in accordance with international standards and human right laws”. Read more… Source: www.humanrights.ge

Tbilisi. With USAID/PROLoG's support, Georgian Trade Unions Confederation prepared e-bulletin and banners about COVID-19 influence on employment in the framework of the project "Legal Aid for Protection of Workers Affected by COVID-19 Pandemic." Read the bulletin... Source: The organization’s page in a 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. “Media Advocacy Coalition” member organizations demand an immediate response ofthe Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia to the threat of a raid on “Pankisi Radio”. “On September 1, there was released a video demonstrating how Pankisi Community Radio was threatened to expect a raid on its studio while Gela Mtivlishvili, a journalist and its founder, was demanded to discontinue his professional activities in the Pankisi Gorge”. Read more… Source:www.qartia.ge

Tbilisi. Myth Detector publishes a blog post of Mariam Topchishvili: “Obiektivi” spreads Bill Gates video fabrication and disinformation regarding vaccination. “On August 26, 2020, NodarGogebashvili, an immunologist guesting the “Night Studio” air of the TV Company “Obiektivi”, spoke about the coronavirus vaccine and stated that an Oxford vaccine, created with the funding of Bill Gates, was genetically modified, which could alter human genetics. In the program, the TV Company “Obiektivi” also aired a video on Bill Gates in Georgian, in which Gates talks about the necessary vaccination of people. Assertions related to COVID-19 and vaccination, voiced on the air of “Obiektivi”, are untrue and disinformation. Bill Gates video, broadcasted on the air, is a video fabrication”, - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more… Source:www.mythdetector.ge

Tbilisi. Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) responds to an unfortunate incident that occurred at a mine in Shukruti, Chiatura, and resulted in death of a 46-year-old miner. EMC calls on the state to ensure safe work. “The accident took place on August 24 of the current yearat a VakeTkeOtkhi (plain forest four) mine. According to reports, a tractor ran over the miner during the working process. Working conditions of people employed atChiatura mines remain tough for years. Along with low remuneration, labor rights of those employed are systematically violated. Employees risk their life and health on a daily basis due to non-compliance with labor safety rules”. Read more… Source:emc.org.ge

Tbilisi. Public Defender Nino Lomjaria met with family members of deceased programmer Tamar Bachaliashvili and their lawyer. According to the Public Defender, she is ready to be involved in the examination of the case and to explore the criminal case materials together with the lawyer of the family. The Public Defender also plans to meet with Prosecutor General Irakli Shotadze and hear answers to questions around the case personally from him. Read more… Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. An electronic card, prepared by the “Network of Centers for Civic Engagement”, contains information on forms of violence, free public services for victims of domestic violence, state policy against violence, 112 and SAFE YOU mobile applications. “In January-May 2020, 112 received 7729 notifications regarding family conflicts”. Read more… Source:The website of the organization in a social network

Tbilisi. The “Salam” platform successfully continues to document endangered Ibero-Caucasian languages that are common in Georgia. “We would like to inform you that the #Salam platform, with the financial support of the Endangered Language Fund operating in the USA, creates an audio/video archive of languages. This year, with the support of the Fund, we started establishment of an archive of critically endangered Tsovatushetian and Udi languages. Data, collected within the framework of the project, will be provided to all interested parties in the form of supporting material. As part of the linguistic expedition, scientists are currently visiting the village of Zemo Alvani, populated by Tushetians of the Tsovati community, where active recording of Tsovatushetian texts is performed. Today they were at the pasture of Tsovatushetians in #Tbatana, 2000-2300 meters above sea level. We hereby share photos from our expedition”, - is stated on the website of the organization in a social network. Read more…  Source: The website of the organization in a social network

Tbilisi. The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association submitted its opinion of a “Friend of the Court” in regard to the case – “N(N)LE Political Union of Citizens “New Political Center”, Herman Sabo, ZurabGirchiJaparidze and Ana Chikovani v. the Parliament of Georgia” tothe Constitutional Court. “The Constitutional Court will review the case on September 2. The plaintiff disputes constitutionality of the norm of the Electoral Code, which requires a political party to have every fourth candidate in its proportional representation list filled by a representative of an opposite sex (for example, if the first three in the list aremen, the fourth candidate must necessarily be a woman). The plaintiff considers that this article contradicts the right to free elections guaranteed by Article 24 of the Constitution”. Read more… Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. Transparency International - Georgia considers that supporting a new legislative initiative on anti-corruption reform will significantly increase effectiveness of fight against corruption. “International practice proves that independent anti-corruption service is an effective mechanism of fight against systemic corruption. This model has been successfully implemented in many European countries. The proposed reform implies qualitative improvement of theanti-corruption policyof the country; it is especially important that it will enable real investigation of cases of so called “elite corruption” and their prevention”, - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more… Source:transparency.ge

Tbilisi. The Public Defender of Georgia addressed Irene Khan, newly appointed UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, as well asHarlem Désir, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, in regard to developments ongoing atAdjara TV. In the sent letters, the Public Defender of Georgia provides people, having the mentioned mandate,with information regarding violations revealed as a result of investigation of developments ongoing at the TV Company, which violations pose threat to the media pluralism,existing in the country, and have negative impact on freedom of expression. Read more… Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. Web portal of civil society organizations' will resume its activities in September… The web portal of civil society organizations' - www.csogeorgia.org – conveys feelings of gratitude to its users and says them goodbye. The portal will resume the activities in September. Stay in touch with us, we will be back soon…

Adjara. The Democracy Research Institute conducted one-day training on the basic principles of juvenile justice on 15 August in Batumi. Trainer was Maia Nasrashvili. “The training was conducted in the framework of the project - Cooperation for Improvement of Juvenile Justice Standards. The project is being implemented with the financial support of EU/UNDP joint initiative COBERM”. Read more… Source: Organization’s page in a 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. In the wake of a sharp spike up in COVID-19 cases in Abkhazia, signatory civil society organizations call on the Government of Georgia to further enhance humanitarian and medical assistance to Abkhazia. “In our opinion, in response to the current crisis in Abkhazia, it is important to have the Government of Georgia and our society show visible steps of solidarity in support of the Abkhazia region. Besides the inherent purpose of demonstrating supremacy of human life and humanism, these steps have significant political potential of reconciliation and transformation of the conflict”. Read more… Source: emc.org.ge

Tbilisi. A platform On.ge prepared an article with the support of the East-West Management Institute (EWMI ACCESS): Hundreds of people died due to disinformation spread on COVID 19.  “The coronavirus pandemic has been followed by an infodemic in the world - the term refers to a crisis caused by spread of fake news. In the first three months of 2020, at least 800 people died worldwide due to spread of fake news in regard to the coronavirus. Most of them died as a result of drinking methanol and alcohol-based cleansers. While about 5800 people were hospitalized”. Read more… Source: The website of the organization in a social network

Tbilisi. According to news released by the Institute for Development of Freedom of Information, on August 14, the Bureau of the Supreme Council of Adjara approved the first Action Plan of the Supreme Council Open Government for 2020-2021. “The Action Plan aims at increasing civic engagement and access to information, enhancement of accountability, as well as introduction of innovations and technologies within the Supreme Council”, - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more… Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. On August 14, the Civil Society Institute (CSI) conducted its 16th meeting and, thus, concluded awarding of winners of a high school seniors competition “This Country is Yours” as well as meetings with young people in regions. Awarding of winning teams from Tbilisi is going to be held in September. The last stage of the competition is a super final, in which one team from each region, including Tbilisi, will take part. The super finale envisages gathering for 2-3 days, interesting meetings, as well as quizzes and will be planned in accordance with the epidemic situation. The competition “This country is yours” was carried out throughout the country and about 150 teams participated in it. The winning students and their curator-teachers were given laptops, face masks, maps, notebooks, and an almanac “Freedom, Justice and Democracy in Georgian Thought” as gifts... Public meetings with young people were conducted by well-known writers, publishers, journalists and education experts. They talked about civic values, activities of civil society organizations, civic responsibility, activism and education. The social campaign “This Country is Yours” is carried out within the framework of the “Civil Society Sustainability Initiative” project, implemented by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS) in collaboration with the Civil Society Institute (CSI), the Center for Training and Consultancy (CTC), the Center for Strategic Research and Development of Georgia (CSRDG) and the Education Development and Employment Center (EDEC). The project is funded by the European Union and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.

Tbilisi. UN Women presents the Country Gender Equality Profile of Georgia, which includes the gender equality indicators and the review of the local legislation and the policy framework against Georgia’s international commitments. The Country Gender Equality Profile (CGEP) represents a guide to assess the existing situation regarding women’s empowerment and gender equality. The CGEP describes and analyses the present situation in Georgia mainly based on the indicators of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), while at the same time considering the BPfA and CEDAW frameworks. Read more… Source: georgia.unwomen.org

With the support of USAID, the Georgia Red Cross Society delivered 270 food and 270 hygiene parcels to the local people of Mestia. In order to reduce the risk of infection, the locals were informed about hygiene rules and preventive measures as well. This humanitarian aid is intended for older people aged 70 or over, who live alone. The Georgia Red Cross Society has already distributed more than 100,000 parcels of basic necessities throughout the country. Read more… Source: The organization’s page in the social network