The Member Organizations of GCICC Started Informational Meetings with Victims of 2008 August War as well as Studying Their Needs

The members of Georgian Coalition for International Criminal Court (GCICC) - Human Rights Center, Article 42 of the Constitution, Georgian Young Lawyers Association, Georgian Center for Psychosocial and Medical Rehabilitation of Torture Victims and Justice International - are implementing project - Civil society engagement in the ICC Georgia investigation.

The project involves advocacy before International Criminal Court (ICC) for the protection of rights of the victims of 2008 August War, providing information to the victims and raising awareness regarding ongoing investigation into the situation of Georgia, as well as studying their current needs and problems and preparing report based on the obtained information which reflects the situation 10 years after the war. 

The above mentioned NGOs represent the interests of hundreds of victims on the national and international level, including before European Court of Human Rights and International Criminal Court. The project is implemented by the financial support of Open Society Georgia Foundation.

Within the frameworks of this project, the NGOs conducted a field visit in Mokhisi settlement where they met with the victims of 2008 August War. The meeting touched upon the issues of investigation of the crimes committed during the 2008 August War. The representatives of the member organizations of GCICC spoke regarding the International Criminal Court and the scope of the ongoing investigation into the situation of Georgia. They interviewed the population using the questionnaires specially developed for these purposes. After analytical processing, the information will be provided to various bodies of ICC and Trust Fund for Victims. Besides, the NGOs have planned similar interviews in various victim settlements throughout the whole country.

One of the alarming problems observed during the visit in Mokhisi settlement is unclean drinking water. According to the information provided by the population of Mokhisi settlement, the water provided in the settlement is unfit for drinking. Therefore, they have to carry the drinking water from the neighboring village. 

We call on the responsible authorities to take up urgent measures in order to ensure that the population living in the Mokhisi settlement is provided with the clean drinking water. 

The visit also revealed that the victims living in the Mokhisi settlement do not have information regarding the ongoing ICC investigation in Georgia. Therefore, we call on the International Criminal Court and its local office to timely inform the victims in Georgia regarding the ongoing process, especially in regards with the rights of victims, including their right to participation in ICC proceedings.