Tbilisi. Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) publishes a blogpost: Why EITI-OGP Synergy Matters for Georgia. “Both OGP and EITI aim to improve governance and build trust by opening up data and creating opportunities for citizen participation. OGP encourages its member countries to join the EITI and both platforms have committed to deepening their partnership and joint commitments towards the transparency of extractives. With these common objectives, the synergy between the OGP and the EITI continues to grow. Stakeholders in countries that are members of both OGP and EITI can draw from the findings of the EITI Validations when formulating OGP action plans. At the same time, OGP commitments can support implementation of EITI principles. OGP members like Germany, Ukraine, Indonesia, Liberia, Armenia, Philippines, and the UK have implemented hundreds of commitments in natural resources yielding to interesting results”, is noted in the statement. Read more… Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. According to information of the Human Rights Center, three years have passed today since disappearance of Soso Osorauli, a Georgian pilot. “During this time, the state has not taken active steps and apply effective measures to release Soso Osorauli from captivity and return him to his homeland. The Human Rights Center calls on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Office of the Prosecutor General to take effective steps to return Soso Osorauli to his homeland. Besides, the Human Rights Center urges the Office of the Prosecutor General to issue a ruling and recognize the family of Soso Osorauli as a victim”, - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more… Source: www.humanrights.ge

Tbilisi. Civil Society Organizations are addressing to the Government on the transition to the proportional electoral system. “Backing out on the promise to adopt a proportional system, the formation process of the Supreme Court, the ongoing political crisis and the policies of the Government of Georgia has been numerously criticized by the country’s domestic and international partners. This is confirmed with the critical statements made at the European Parliament and the strongly worded letters addressed to the Prime Minister of Georgia by the representatives of the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate. This situation can be resolved by following through with the public promise of adopting a proportional electoral system. This decision would be perceived by the local and international society as the ruling party’s readiness to support the country’s democratic development”, is noted in the statement. Read more… Source: www.transparency.ge

On January 26, IDFI, held the training on „Methods & Mechanisms of Government Oversight“ for the students of Certification Program in Fighting Corruption. During the training students received the information about using online databases in Georgia and requesting public information. Read more… Source: Organization’s page in the social network

Tbilisi. According to a statement of the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA), the Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics detected violation of the principle of inviolability of private life in an entertainment program. “On January 25, the Charter of Journalistic Ethics detected violation of principles of discrimination and inviolability of private life in “Gviani Show”, a program of the broadcasting company “Rustavi 2”. This case is precedential as the Charter discussed the use of a hidden camera in an entertainment program and violation of the 10th (inviolability of private life) principle for the first time. Interests of the applicant were defended by the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association”, - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more… Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. Georgia Red Cross Society publishes an infographic: how to reduce of coronavirus infection risk? “On December 31, new coronavirus (nCOV) was identified in Wuhan city, China. What are the symptoms of the coronavirus? • Fever • Cough • Shortness of breath • Breathing difficulties In severe cases it can cause pneumonia, acute respiratory syndrome, kidney insufficiency and even death. In case you have traveled to China in the last two weeks and you have respiratory infection symptoms, you can contact the Ministry of Health hotline 1505 that is working for 24 hours”, is noted in the statement. Read more… Source: Social network

Tbilisi. Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) responds to grave cases of discrediting the Public Defender by the Minister of Justice of Georgia and calls on the Government of Georgia to study political responsibility of the Minister and to make sure the Public Defender has guarantees for effective and independent activity. Read more… Source: emc.org.ge

Tbilisi. The Public Defender of Georgia would like to respond to the illegal public disclosure of the details of the Public Defender's meeting with inmates by the Special Penitentiary Service/Ministry of Justice on January 23, 2020. “The identities of persons met by the Public Defender or his/her representatives shall be confidential and its disclosure represents interference with the Public Defender's activities for the purpose of influencing him/her and hampering his/her work. The mentioned represents an offense under Article 352 of the Criminal Code of Georgia. Yesterday's statement was the continuation of a campaign of political attack launched by the Minister of Justice of Georgia against the Public Defender’s institution. It is dangerous and inadmissible that the Minister of Justice uses a body such as the Special Penitentiary Service, where persons with different political views are serving their sentences, for political purposes”, is noted in the statement. Read more… Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. On January 23, Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) and Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) presented the report “The Supreme Court of Georgia – Analysis of Institutional and Legal Framework”. “The study examines the institutional and legal framework created as a result of amendments within the scope of the so-called ‘third wave’ and the constitutional reform. The report analyzes key issues, such as the role and the place of the Supreme Court in the judicial system, selection and appointment of the Supreme Court justices, powers of the Chairperson, liability of judges/chairperson, competence of the Supreme Court Plenum, work of the chambers and distribution of cases”, is noted in the statement. Read more… Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) releases a statement and demands registration of plots of agricultural land for eco-migrants relocated from Adjara to the Khikhani village. “There are unbearable social and economic conditions in the village. The primary problem of the local community is inaccessibility of land and water resources. Local population have no agricultural land other than homestead land resources, which fact deprives them of the opportunity to develop small-scale agriculture locally. In addition to this there is no irrigation system in the village”, - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more… Source: emc.org.ge

Tbilisi. Georgia has been assigned a score of 56 and shares 44th place with Costa Rica, the Czech Republic, and Latvia in the 2019 edition of the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) which was published by the Transparency International Secretariat today and ranks 180 countries. “Georgia’s score has decreased by two points compared with last year. According to the survey’s methodology, a two-point change is considered statistically insignificant. Georgia still ranks top in the Eastern Europe and Central Asia region. However, the lack of progress in terms of Georgia’s score in recent years points to the stagnation of anti-corruption reforms in the country”, is noted in the statement. Read more… Source: www.transparency.ge

Tbilisi. At a formal award ceremony in Tbilisi, the Delegation of the European Union to Georgia awarded the winners of the EU Prize for Journalism 2019 in six categories covering print, broadcast, online, and photo journalism.  The winners of the EU Prize for Journalism 2019 are: Nino Tarkhnishvili: Best story in print or online media Beso Gvenetadze: Best feature story in broadcast or online media Giorgi Mgeladze: Best investigative story /feature in print, online, or broadcast media Jimsher Rekhviashvili: Best online or print blog, opinion or column in print or online media Lasha Tsertsvadze: The most innovative and original piece of work in print, online or broadcast media Dato Koridze: Best documentary photo reflecting EU values Mamuka Kuparadze: EUMM Special Prize for Peace Journalism Read more… Source: eeas.europa.eu

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Tbilisi. UNICEF Georgia publishes the video on positive discipline. “Learn more what does Positive Discipline mean, how to manage a difficult behaviour and develop child's competences with the help of positive discipline in pre-school institutions“. Read more… Source: UNICEF’s page in the social network

Tbilisi. On January 22, 2020, the Public Defender addressed the State Inspector with a request to examine the lawfulness of public disclosure of video footage by the Minister of Justice at the sitting of the Parliament’s Committee on Human Rights and Civil Integration on January 21, 2020. “Two of the video recordings depicted certain episodes of the meeting between the Public Defender’s representatives and prisoners at the penitentiary establishments. On the same day, the videos were posted on the Facebook page of the Ministry of Justice as well. The faces of the Public Defender’s representatives were not blurred out in the publicly available videos and they can be easily identified. It is noteworthy that the Organic Law of Georgia on the Public Defender of Georgia prohibits any kind of video-audio surveillance of a meeting between the Public Defender's representatives and prisoners by the Ministry of Justice”, is noted in the statement. Read more… Source: www.ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. According to the statement of the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA), the State Inspector should immediately launch an investigation in videos released by the Minister of Justice. “Showing video recordings publicly threatens credibility of the mandate of the Public Defender and implementation of her constitutional authority. It is also noteworthy that the alleged violation is committed by a state-political official and disseminated recordings have been broadcasted publicly. In view of the above, we consider it is necessary that the State Inspector start an investigation”, - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more… Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. On January 21st, The Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) in cooperation with the Data Exchange Agency (DEA) organized a meeting on the topic: Development Plan and Future Prospects of the Open Data Platform - WWW.DATA.GOV.GE.  “The purpose of the event was to discuss the necessities, challenges and development plans of the Open Data Platform - WWW.DATA.GOV.GE with representatives of Civil Society, Media, Business and Academy”, is noted in the statement. Read more… Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. Non-governmental organizations release a joint statement.  “We would like to express our concern over non-constructive criticism of Tea Tsulukiani, the Minister of Justice of Georgia, in regard to publicizing video material of a monitoring of the National Prevention Mechanism at Public Defender’s Office of Georgia and an expert of the mentioned Mechanism. This act, on the one hand, grossly violates principles defined by Georgian legislation, while on the other hand, contradicts international obligations committed by Georgia. We consider that this act of the Minister of Justice of Georgia should serve as a basis for her political responsibility”, - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more… Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. According to information released by Transparency International – Georgia, on June 20-21, court applied administrative imprisonment and solid fines against detainees without proper justification and evidences thus neglecting the right to a fair trial. The same practice has been experienced against people detained during subsequent rallies. “In the circumstances, when the fact of offense cannot be substantiated by concrete evidences, imposition of such sanctions by the court may be perceived as a desire of authorities to use penalty for achieving a stinging effect in order to weaken a protest movement and force critically disposed part of the society to refrain from using the right to assembly and manifestations in the future”, - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more… Source: The website of the organization in a social network

17 January, Tbilisi - the National Volunteering Forum “For You, For Me, For Changes – It’s Time For Volunteering”, organized by Education Development and Employment Center (EDEC) at the Georgian National University SEU in Tbilisi. “The forum was held within the framework of Georgian Civil Society Sustainability Initiative, funded by the European Union and co-funded by the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung. The partner of the forum is Georgian National University SEU The forum was dedicated to promoting volunteerism in Georgia. During the forum the presentation of the campaign “This Country is Yours” and the award ceremony of journalists’ contest “Journalists for Social Change” was also held. At the end of the event an interesting presentation on the topic “Civic Activism, Volunteer Culture and Experience of the Regions of Georgia” was presented by journalist and director Goderdzi Sharashia. Georgian Civil Society Sustainability Initiative was developed and is implemented by the consortium led by the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung in cooperation with four Georgian Civil Society Organizations: Civil Society Institute (CSI), Center for Training and Consultancy (CTC), Center for Strategic Research and Development of Georgia (CSRDG) and Education Development and Employment Center (EDEC). The project is funded by the European Union and co-funded by the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung“. Read more… Source: Georgian Civil Society Sustainability Initiative

Tbilisi. The Civil Society Institute has identified winners in a competition “Journalists for Social Changes”. The competition is part of the campaign “ThisCountryIsYours” and aims at identifying journalists throughout Georgia who have regularly and competently covered challenges and development opportunities that civil society faces. Organizations, operating in regions of Georgia, had a possibility to select the best journalist who works in their region, as well as to nominate one representative of central media. On January 17, the Civil Society Institute announced the winners: Guria - Tamta Dolidze - TV Company “Guria”;  Adjara - Irakli Kurua – TV program Hashtag, Adjara TV;  Imereti - Tamuna Kavtaradze, Mega TV; Kakheti - Mariam Megrelishvili - TV “Tanamgzavri”;  Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti - Nana Khubutia - live press;  Samtskhe - Javakheti - Rusudan Gvaramadze - TV9;  Kvemo Kartli - Ekaterine Eradze - Marneuli TV; Shida Kartli - Nino Chibchiuri - TV Company “Trialeti”;  Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti - Marine Svanidze - kvira.ge;  Central - Mikheil Sesiashvili - Mtavari Arkhi;  CSI special prize - Netgazeti.  The civil campaign “ThisCountryIsYours” is carried out within the framework of “Civil Society Development Initiative”, implemented by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS) in cooperation with the Civil Society Institute (CSI), Center for Training and Consultancy (CTC), Center for Strategic Research and Development of Georgia (CSRDG) and Education Development and Employment Center (EDEC). The project is financed by both the European Union and Konrad Adenauer Foundation.

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