Web Portal on Human Rights in Georgia

On May 10, Representative of the Muslim Department Vagiph Akperov left the working meeting of the inter-religious group in the German House in protest. He was irritated by a statement from Thea Gogotishvili, representing the Patriarchate, about Aziziye Mosque. Gogotishvili said that Sultan Abdul Aziz was killing Christians and the construction of a mosque in his name in Georgia is the same as building a monument in Israel celebrating the Holocaust.

A cameraman from Studio GNS was not allowed to film the Dusheti municipal board building. A security police officer cursed at the cameraman, threatened him with physical assault, and hindered his professional activities.

Mtskheta district MIA department started investigation on the oppression fact against Mari Otarashvili, journalist of the newspaper Resonansi and Information Center of Mtskheta-Mtianeti. Head of Legal Aid Center at the Human Rights Center Nino Andriashvili attended the interrogation process. The case was launched under Article 151 of the Criminal Code of Georgia (intimidation).

Although law about restitution was passed in Georgia, the process of return of Ossetian refugees and restitution of their properties has reached deadlock in fact. Expert Zurab Bendianashvili said the law is still-born. 

Penitentiary system still remains one of the most problematic fields in Georgia. I think, the main problem about the system is various forms of ill-treatment and inadequate medical service in penitentiary settings. These circumstances result into high mortality among prisoners in custodies.

Kutaisi office representatives of the political coalition Georgian Dream stated they had decided to hold the symbolic demonstration regarding the Kutaisi Day on May 2.

About seven weeks after the state audit agency, Chamber of Control, summoned large number of activists and supporters of Bidzina Ivanishvili-led opposition coalition, the Georgian Public Defender said on May 1 that the process was carried out with violations of rights of questioned persons.

Georgia moved up by 7 positions in 2012 annual rating of Freedom of World Press by famous human rights organization Freedom House. The report was published on May 1. However, according to the report, Georgia still occupies place among partly-free states.