Web Portal on Human Rights in Georgia
ARTICLES
2007-12-21
The Human Rights Centre Demands an Investigation into the November 7 Events
The Human Rights Centre demands the start of a criminal
case against the President and the Minister of Internal Affairs. The
Centre has obtained evidence indicating that the government has
committed a crime. These facts are depicted in the report “One Week of
Violence” issued by the Centre. The presentation of the report was
held on December 19.2007-12-20
IDPs Will Spent Cold Winter Together
5 Cubic Meters of Firewood - Reality or Election Trick?
The IDPs living in Tsalenjikha will spent this cold winter without firewood. A gift from President Saakashvili and his slogan –“Let’s spent winter together warmly” remains only on the pink vouchers. Poor IDP families are not able to buy the firewood. They do not even have the money necessary for storing the firewood in the forest and taking the wood home. Instead, the Georgian government offers another alternative - electric stoves, but the majority of IDPs cannot afford them.
2007-12-19
Radiation Promoting Disease In the Samckhe-Javakheti Region
“The majority of locals are ill with cancer. A person will be healthy but suddenly find out that he or she has cancer. Too many people are sent from our region to the oncology clinic. The population is being slowly poisoned but no one thinks of the uranium." Dialogues like this can often be overheard on the bus in the town of Abastumani-Akhalcikhe. Village residents in the mountainous Adigeni municipality are beset by a number of cardiovascular diseases and cancer and are deeply concerned about the origins of their health problems. Residents believe that the dramatic increase in illnesses is caused by uranium leakages from uncontrolled Russian stores in the Persata Mountain, resulting in extremely high levels of radiation in the area.2007-12-19
Koba Davitashvili Assists Teo Tlashadze in Election Campaign
Pre-Election Squabbles in Shida KartliDuring the pre-election campaign the United People’s Movement has visited almost all the villages in the Gori and Kaspi region. Koba Davitashvili headed this election campaign. Actually the regional coordinator of the headquarter is MP Teo Tlashadze, but nowadays Koba Davitashvili is taking over her duties. Davitashvili was met by people supporting the government and basically they expressed their dissatisfaction towards Teo Tlashadze. Koba Davitashvili was protecting Teo Tlashadze rather than introducing an election program.
2007-12-18
“Samegrelo is not a Rose Revolution Domain”
Pre-election Turmoil in Samegrelo and Totally Falsified Election Registers
Samegrelo is awaiting the presidential elections. Levan Gachechiladze and Mikhail Saakashvili, two presidential candidates, have already emerged in the districts of Samegrelo. They are being expected in Zugdidi in the near future. The appearance of the presidential candidates highlighted the issue of the so-called “dead bodies”. The constituencies of Samegrelo talk about the governmental attempt to falsify the registers. Along with this, the leaders of opposition parties and their supporters are being pressured. There are incidents of persecution and blackmail of the opposition. The pre-election period is marked by bribery and persuasion.
2007-12-18
Family of Victim of Accident in Turkey Blame Bus Driver
Zviad Abuseridze was injured in a car accident in Samsun, Turkey on December 13 of last year. Ever since he has been chained to his bed and is in need of an immediate operation abroad. His family cannot afford his operation and demands the driver to be held responsible. 2007-12-18
Flood Threatens the Chomi Population
“We have gone to sleep with fear for many years and every morning we thank God that we wake up safe and alive. We are do not know when the water can flood our homes again. Why does nobody care about us?” - 81-year-old Nodar Gabadaze from Kutaisi has been asking this question for several years now. Everyday he sees the destroyed Rioni riverbed and the river that approaches their homes.2007-12-17
Chechen Refugees Are Not Allowed To Go Abroad
Chechen refugees fall into a category of the population
finding themselves abandoned by the Georgian government. Georgian
legislation does not give them the opportunity to move abroad and
essentially forces them to live in the Pankisi Gorge, where neither
basic living conditions can be satisfied nor jobs found.2007-12-14
Authority Is Blamed for Persecuting the Opponents
“District governor persecutes the members of the district electoral commissions. They are invited to the Administrative Board and demanded to work against opposition;” “Members who represent the United Opposition in Electoral Districts, have their holidays canceled; they are called back to the offices and are prevented from working in support of their candidates;” “Several electoral districts were closed for uncertain reasons. Voters cannot check their names in the electors’ lists,” similar statements are made by the representatives of the opposition political parties and NGOs who monitor pre-election campaign.2007-12-14
Prison Instead of Love
Mamia Pkhakadze the Chairman of the Gori Regional Court
has sentenced 21 year-old Alika Tsulaia to 6-year-imprisonment, a
resident of the village of Gachedili in Martivli district. Tsulaia is
accused for the robbery of Konstantine Rukhadze, a taxi-driver from
Kutaisi, in the incident the driver was wounded. Besides that the
taxi-driver stated at the trial that the relatives of the defendant
visited him and asked to change the testimony. Because of the fact the
head of court indicated the following in the verdict: "Based on false
testimonies made by witnesses at the trial they can be imposed criminal
responsibilities on as they violated procedural norms."2007-12-14
Judges Should Obey “Guidelines”
Last week, judge Merab Kozmava of the Kutaisi Civil
Court finished the discussions on the criminal case against Irakli
Ghudunidze. Ghudunidze was charged under article 177, paragraph II-a
and paragraph III-a, c of the Georgian Criminal Code. He was accused of
stealing various belongings of Leila Giorgadze; the total value of the
stolen goods amounted to 1500 lari. 2007-12-14
Batumi Dwellers Are Disappointed with Employment Program
On December 10, part of population took turns to the
employment centers from the early morning. Unexpectedly they were
announced that the employment program will be implemented from
February, 2008.
Employment centers opened in different districts in Batumi. The population applied to the centers according to their residential areas. Many of them took turns in the early morning.
2007-12-13
Foti Population Protest Processing of Aluminum Oxide in Foti Port
Population has been protesting the processing of
aluminum oxide, bauxite and other substances in the Foti Port for many
years already. The contraversy on how harmful those substances are for
the health is still too actual for the population and Foti Sea Port Ltd.
2007-12-12
Shop Windows of the Leader from Opposition Party Were Smashed
At late night on December 8, approximately 3:00 AM,
strangers smashed the windows of the shop owned by Oleg Samdroshvili,
the head of the Election Staff for presidential candidate Levan
Gachechiladze.2007-12-12
People Expect Fraudulent Elections in Kaspi
Mikheil Saakashvili, in his capacity as president of
Georgia, has never visited Kaspi after the Rose Revolution. However, as
a presidential candidate Saakashvili has visited the industrial town.
Local authorities arranged a meeting with school children and employees
of the local administration. Khatuna Tatanashvili, a member of the
“Republican Party” from Kaspi, said that the officials from their
district got dressed in riot policemen’s uniforms and started to
disperse people with truncheons on November 7.2007-12-12
Mzia Gadelia, Leader of the Conservative Party in Senaki, Accuses the Government of Persecution and Blackmail
Does the detention of Mzia Gadelia’s son have any connection with the presidential ballot?Mzia Gadelia, chairwoman of the Senaki office of the Conservative Party, accuses Guram Misabishvili, the municipality governor, and Besik Marmania, the Chairman of the Municipality Board, of persecuting and blackmailing her. Gadelia claimed that after the government failed to bribe her, initially her son and then she was detained. Akaki Gadelia serves his term at Zugdidi Prison # 4; Mzia Gadelia herself was released after having paid a 400 lari administrative charge. Despite the seventeen-year-long struggle as an oppositionist and undergone persecution, the leader of the party does not intend to resign in exchange for her son’s freedom.
2007-12-12
Public Defender Starts Preliminary Investigation into Use of Rubber Bullets
The Public Defender has requested Zurab Adeishvili, the Prosecutor General of Georgia to launch a preliminary investigation into the excessive use of force on November 7 and illegal activities of policemen. There was no legal necessity to use rubber bullets to disperse the people in front of the parliament, in Rike and in the area surrounding TV Company “Imedi”.2007-12-12
Batumi Civil Court Sends Appeals Late
Shota Gorgadze has filed an appeal with the Supreme Council of Justice based on the actions of the Batumi Civil Court, which sent Gorgadze's appeal late to the Court of Appeals. Gorgadze’s appeal had been at the Batumi Civil Court since November 9. 2007-12-11
A Great Fuss in the Gori District Court
There is often a great fuss in front of the Gori district and civil court. Many notes appear on the boards, but they do not actually give the exact trial time as the proceedings rarely begin at the posted hour. People gather on the stairs of the court and simply wait.2007-12-11
"November 7" at The Hobby Gallery
On December 10th at 4:00PM, the Human Rights Center opened a photo exhibition in honor of the International Day of Human Rights. “We wish to never show photos like these in the future,” and with these words, the exhibition opened. The theme of the event was human rights, but because of the recent situation in Georgia, it focused on the reportage of the events of November 7th.OTHER NEWS
Prosecutor’s Office reports video-material on Robakidze’s case cut-edited
New Team of Local Government in Marneuli District Gets Bonuses Equal to Monthly Salaries
Interior Ministry Says it 'Foiled Terror Plot'
The video, released on behalf of the Taliban, was posted on Internet from Georgia - Irakli Gharibashvili
People Will Be Discharged from Fines for Having Illegally Constructed Buildings
Archive
Interior Ministry Says it 'Foiled Terror Plot'
The video, released on behalf of the Taliban, was posted on Internet from Georgia - Irakli Gharibashvili
People Will Be Discharged from Fines for Having Illegally Constructed Buildings
Archive
BLOG
Historic Review of Georgian Political Advertisement
In 2005, American researchers estimated that political advertisements on TV have short (two-week) impact on voters. But the result is so rapid andDetailed...
Pre-election Advertisement Promises
Quality and Purpose of Political Advertisements
EDITORIAL
Human Rights Center to Monitor Trials on Former Senior Governmental Officials
How the detention process of former senior officials is going on; whether political motivation is detected in it and will the new initiativeDetailed...
As a result of international oppression, State Audit Office and National Bureau of Enforcement postponed the repressions
The August war- who is guilty?
POLL
What do you think, shall the archive of illegally obtained operative materials be destroyed or not?