Concerns and recommendations to be addressed by EU and Georgian authorities in the framework of the European Neighbourhood Policy

GEORGIA

November 2008

On the occasion of the upcoming EU-Georgia Cooperation Council in November 2008, FIDH and its Georgia partners, Human Rights Centre (HRIDC), Human Rights Priority and Caucasus

Woman's network, wish to draw your attention to the Human rights situation in Georgia.

The armed conflict of August 2008 has attracted the attention of the international media on the

region. Our member and partner organisations have been closely monitoring the development of

the events and highlighted out serious violations of International humanitarian law (use of force

against the civilian population, arbitrary executions and allegations of torture and rape, use of

prohibited weapons, looting, property damage, the situation of Internally Displaced Persons).

However, within the context of the EU-Georgia Cooperation Council, our organisations consider

that the resolution of the conflict should not overshadow the serious concerns on the human rights

situation in Georgia. These concerns should be reflected in the EU's declarations to the Georgian

authorities, as part of the commitment it took to monitoring the evolution of human rights, notably

within the instruments of the European Neighbourghood Policy.

This briefing note calls upon the EU to raise specific concerns and recommendations on the

following issues:

- Elections

- Control of the media

- Violations of freedom of demonstration with disproportionate use of force

- Detention conditions

- Political prisoners

- Women's rights

Please see link below for the full version: