Presentation of Annual Report – State of Human Rights in Georgia in 2014

Nino Tsotsoria

On May 1, Human Rights Center presented its annual human rights report – State of Human Rights in Georgia in 2014. The report presents human rights situation in Georgia throughout 2014 and in the beginning of 2015. The report was prepared based on the findings of Human Rights Center, other local nongovernmental organizations, Public Defender’s Office of Georgia and other international organizations with financial support of National Endowment for Democracy.

“The report reviews basic developments and alarming tendencies of 2014 which nongovernmental organizations observed last year,” Aleko Tskitishvili, executive director of Human Rights Center said. 

 

The report reviews specific trends of human rights of 2014 such as legislative changes and minority issues. 

“Violation of the rights of LGBT community and religious minorities is significant problem; the state does not adequately respond to these facts. We revealed several facts when rights of religious minorities were breached but law enforcement bodies did not effectively investigate those facts,” one of the authors of the report and human rights defender Nino Tsagareishvili told humanrights.ge. 

 

The Annual Report on the State of Human Rights in Georgia reviewed legislative changes and situation in penitentiary establishments. 

“Separate topics are dedicated to the legislative changes of 2014 and human rights conditions of prisoners. The report reviews conditions of prisoners, problems in MIA, ill-treatment of citizens by police officers, problems in granting residence permits to foreign citizens and other significant issues of 2014. It is significant to establish independent and impartial investigation mechanism for the alleged violations by law enforcement officers. Also, reforms should be implemented in the medical field of penitentiary system as well as suicide prevention program for prisoners,” one of the authors of the report, lawyer Tamar Avaliani said.