Web Portal on Human Rights in Georgia

According to the statement of Chairman of Parliament of Georgia David Usupashvili, by May 2013, a constitutional commission is to  be established which will be composed of political party representatives, experts and NGOs.

While Georgian Dream parliamentary (GD) majority is determined to override presidential veto on judicial council bill, it has yet to be seen how it will act in respect of another vetoed bill related to restricting defendant’s right in choosing between trial by jury or a judge.

Substantial discussion of Davit Adeishvili’s case at the Telavi district court is underway; Davit Adeishvili is brother of Zurab Adeishvili, former Minister of Justice of Georgia. At the trial on April 30, prosecutor introduced victim Ioseb Gotsiridze as a witness. The latter said that he and his colleagues were intimidated by Davit Adeishvili who compelled them to cancel purchase of Telavi agricultural market.

Expert of Levan Samkharauli National Forensic Medical Expertise Paata Jibladze was questioned about the episode where former head of MIA General Inspection Tengiz Gunava is accused of having wounded his driver Kakhaber Izoria.

On April 19, Court accepted medical conclusion from the expertise of officer Sergo Tetradze’s body as evidence. Several former senior officials of the penitentiary department and former head of military police Megis Kardava are accused of Tetradze’s death.

By midday on February 18, 2013 an explosion occurred in front of the Kaspi police office. At about 6:00 pm police arrested Davit Gabodze, 29, walking in the street. Handcuffed suspect told journalists gathered in front of the police office that he had no idea what he was arrested for. Several hours later, he was accused of the participation in the explosion of that day.

At the March 19 briefing Georgian Minister of Interior Irakli Garibashvili stated that about 150 of the amnestied people under the Amnesty Law of December, 2012 were repeatedly arrested. A month later, Sozar Subari, Minister of Legal Aid and Corrections, increased the number up to 200.

Several employees of TELASI Company (Tbilisi Electricity Distribution Company) were questioned at the trial on the case of Nika Gvaramia, Aleksandre Khetaguri and several other people. They spoke about the agreement between L&M Service and TELASI.

Law is very strict about drug-addicts in Georgia. However, it could not resolve the problem. Experts state that as a result of this rigid policy number of drug-addicts increased and part of them started using more dangerous narcotic substances.

On April 17, 2013 Special Preventive Group under Public Defender of Georgia carried out ad hoc monitoring at the Penitentiary Establishment #8 within the framework of National Preventive Mechanism. 75 life sentenced inmates being on hunger strike were visited. The accused did not complain on their treatment at the Establishment #8. They objected the Law on Amnesty of December 28, 2012 as it alleviated the sentence of all accused except the life sentenced inmates.

Constitutional Court of Georgia upheld the constitutional lawsuit of Human Rights Center on the case Besik Adamia vs Parliament of Georgia. Hence, majoritarian candidates will not have to have 5 000 lari deposit to participate in the parliamentary elections.

Torture and abuse of prisoners before the change of government, shortfalls in the rule of law and lack of judicial independence, as well as obstacles to exercise freedoms of association and assembly particularly for opposition were the most important human rights problems reported in 2012, according to the U.S. Department of State’s annual human rights country report, released on April 19.