Web Portal on Human Rights in Georgia

“Ozurgeti district governor Avtandil Mekvabishvili made decisions in regard with the activities planned within the Rural Development Program,” said interim district governor Mamia Baramidze.

Georgia occupied the 126th place in the new rating of the freedom of press made by the Freedom House. The following story demonstrates why we were so low in the rating and why we occupied the place next to Nepal in the freedom of press.

At night of May 7, the incident occurred near the house of the candidate for the city mayor from the National Council. The activists of the ruling party claim they were posting the posters of the National Movement in Cholokashvili Street when Zviad Dzidziguri approached them. Initially, he insulted and then physically assaulted them. Later, he shot in their direction four times. Zviad Dzidziguri confirmed that he shot during the incident in front of his house. He said, he has permission on he fire=gun and always has it with him,” wrote the newspaper Resonance in the article “Zviad Dzidziguri: “I Shot in the Air”/ “Let Them Provoke Me Wherever They Want But Never Provoke My Family”.

On May 7, the debates in the program “Barrier” of the TV-Company “Kavkasia” about the book “Secret Idiotism” (insulting name of the Last Supper) turned into the quarrel. Journalist Aleko Elisashvili reported that human rights defender Beka Mindiashvili and cinema-scientist Teo Khatiashvili left the studio in protest; the representatives of the Union of Orthodox Parents and Public Orthodox Movement met them in the yard who initially insulted and then physically assaulted them. Other participants of the program also went out in the yard at the noise and interfered in the quarrel.

Early in October of 2009, there was simulated fire in Gori center. Burning tires, exploded cars, simulated dead people were scattered in the streets; people with red paints on their faces were running in front of the Stalin Statue; there were wounded soldiers and scared people . Real tanks and helicopters were moving around… The city, who endured the war once, saw the same again because Hollywood works on a film about the war in August of 2008. Andy Garcia stars in the film in the role of President Mikheil Saakashvili. The filming process damaged both environment and people’s health who were not warned about it in advance.

Transparency International – Georgia published next report about the cottages of the internally displaced people (IDPs). Besides the living conditions, which are described in the report, it also states that international donor organizations intend to allocate additional funds for the reconstruction of the defected cottages. Supposedly, it will happen after the one-year guarantee of the building companies expires – or when the companies will not be obliged to reconstruct the cottages according to the agreement.

“We have all documents to prove that the missing people were detained by Georgian law enforcement bodies. Currently, they are either in isolation on Georgian territory, or they are already dead which will be most tragic for us. In his case, we request their bodies. We will request everybody to clarify the fate of our missing citizens once and for ever. The Red Cross Committee promised to help us. I think, the Committee, although it is neutral organization, cannot openly express their position; but they know that we are write and they even support us,” said the representative of the de-facto president of South Ossetia in the regulation of the post-conflict situation Merab Chigoev.

Open Society Georgia Foundation and Georgian Human Rights NGOs released a report on violations of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law during the Russian-Georgian war of August 2008. Presentation of the report "In August Ruins" took place on May 5, 2010 in the National Library of the Parliament of Georgia.

Radical opposition kept promise and failed the Police Day announced by the government. However, the supporters of the National Council were punished for the “victory”. The people with broken heads were taken to hospitals. Bloody show continues!

“Kutaisi is meeting the municipality elections with unarranged polling stations. The date of the elections was unofficially announced 6 months ago. Despite that, nothing was done and the commission members have to work in unbearable conditions throughout the whole month,” the Kutaisi office of the Republic Party spread statement.

There is no official statistics, how many facts of the interference in the professional activities of journalists have not been investigated since 2004. According to the Chief Prosecutor’s Office, they do not investigate any of these cases. In Kakheti, more than ten incidents happened when journalists were attacked; only one of them was investigated. However, the offender in this case was promoted instead punishment.

While assessing the snap presidential and parliamentary elections of 2008, both international and local monitoring missions stated that the misuse of the financial, institutional and other resources during the pre-election campaign was more problematic in Georgia. On April 16, 2010, ambassador of the OSCE Monitoring Mission to Georgia Audrey Glover said that “the OSCE will evaluate the municipality elections on May 30 in accordance to the Copenhagen Resolution.”  The Copenhagen document prohibits misuse of the administrative resources during the pre-election campaign. Despite that, the government actively uses the administrative resources.

On May 4, by midnight, Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti regional governor Zaza Gorozia, his deputy Erekle Japaridze, head of the regional police department Tengiz Gunava, Mestia district governor Kakha Kvitsiani, official of the MIA Anzor Margiani and head of the regional financial police Giorgi Shedania visited Mestia district administration together with their colleagues. They forcibly took the single mandate candidates of the political party “Tavisupleba” Vakhtang and Leri Nakanis to the administrative building. Leri Nakani was forced to sign the document based on which he refused to take part in the municipality elections. Vakhtang Nakani did not sign the similar document because the representatives of the local office of the opposition party managed to assist him and took him out of the administrative building.

Participation of the opposition parties in the election commissions is particularly important for the impartial and fair elections and it is regulated by the Election Code of Georgia. The coordinators of the Human Rights Center and the correspondents of the humanrights.ge report from almost every region of Georgia that representatives of the National Movement occupy the seats of the opposition parties in the election commissions. As it was found out, the members of the political parties “By Ourselves” and “Entrepreneurs” give their seats to the ruling party very willingly.

On May 4, in front of the Ilia State University, the young people gathered to protect the freedom of expression. The youth branch of the Public Orthodox Movement and Union of Orthodox Parents dispersed them.

On May 3rd, the international day of freedom of expression, the members of the South Caucasus Network of Human Rights Defenders in Georgia – Human Rights Center, Article 42, Center for the Protection of Constitutional Rights and Multinational Georgia - express their deep concern over the fact that journalists represent one those groups of human rights defenders in Georgia, who most often face pressure and intimidation from the authorities. See in PDF

 

Lanchkhuti district administration purchased vehicle Toyota Land Cruiser Prado for 36 288 USD for the Guria Main Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Georgia “triggered off the war” with heavy artillery attack on Tskhinvali in August, 2008, however, this attack was not an isolated event, but a culminating point of years of mounting tensions and all sides bear responsibility, Heidi Tagliavini, who led EU-funded fact-finding mission into causes of the war, said on April 28.

We can travel to Akhalgori district after taking “visa” – temporary permission which is issued by the Mtskheta district security service department. The people, who wish to travel to Akhalgori shall be interviewed in the department. The issue of each applicant shall be discussed within the estimated term and it will take several days to make decision. In fact, the security service department acts as a consulate. The head of the consulate has functions of the consul. People already call the permit “visa”.

On May 2, the number one candidate on the list of the National Movement in Rustavi Mamuka Chikovani chose a new form to communicate with people. Former mayor became driver of the yellow bus # 4 in Rustavi. We met him on the bus quite by accident and did not lose a chance to interview him.