Web Portal on Human Rights in Georgia

Court juries will discuss cases of former and acting senior governmental officials. Several days ago, parliament passed legislative initiative after two hearings with 103 votes. Reportedly, additional legislative amendments are planned to the law, which will restrict freedom of choice of the accused person and prosecutor will make final decision whether a concrete case is discussed by jury or not.

76-year-old Murman Rogava from Zugdidi spent almost 6 years in prison and left it in wheelchair. I met the former prisoner in the rented flat in Mukhiani district, Tbilisi.

Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) publishes legal opinion on the draft Constitutional law on Amendments to the Constitution of Georgia. The Parliament of Georgia adopted a resolution on promulgation of the draft law and establishment of a steering committee for public discussions of the draft on December 28, 2012.

Human Rights Center is concerned with political speculations against Vahagan Chakhalyan, who was released from prison under amnesty law several days ago and calls upon the President of Georgia and parliamentary minority to stop dissemination of purposeful disinformation about him.

Tbilisi City Court ruled on Saturday to release former governor of Mtskheta-Mtianeti region Cesar Chocheli, who was arrested on January 24 on charges related to illegal entrepreneurship and money laundering, on GEL 200,000 bail.

Parliament passed with its second and final third reading on January 18 Justice Ministry-proposed amendments to the criminal procedures code envisaging applying jury trials to the cases in which former officials face criminal charges started from February 1.

Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association held a presentation of the research “Analysis of Criminal and Administrative Cases with Alleged Political Motive” in Kutaisi on January 22, 2013.  The Analysis reviews recent trends in the country.

After the Parliamentary Election of October 1, 2012 people in Georgia already expected that several senior officials of the previous government would be placed behind bars. One of the main pre-election promises of winning political coalition Georgian Dream was to investigate corruption and torture crimes allegedly committed by former senior governmental officials and to hold them responsible for those crimes. A series of detainments started on November 6 with the detention of Bacho Akhalaia, the former minister of interior.