Web Portal on Human Rights in Georgia

Prosecutor made introductory speech at the trial on Megis Kardava and 12 more accused people in the same case. Most resonance episode in the case refers to the torture of a military officer (Human Rights Center refrains from naming the torture victim due to ethic principles).

Former PM Vano Merabishvili, who is now UNM secretary general, and ex-healthcare minister Zurab Tchiaberashvili, who is now governor of Kakheti region, were arrested on May 21.

Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics conducted the monitoring of newscasts of TV-companies of 17 May.  Following channels have been monitored: Georgian Public Broadcaster, Rustavi 2, Imedi, Maestro/Maestro 24, Ninth Channel, Kavkasia, Adjara.

Human Rights Center calls upon the government of Georgia and international organizations to get interested in the disappearance of Magamed Magamedov. The latter arrived in Georgia in 2012 from Dagestan and requested political shelter here. He was registered in Georgia as asylum-seeker. In 2013 Magamedov disappeared from Tbilisi and nothing has been known about his whereabouts so far.

Advertisement video-roll appeared on Georgian TV-Channels, which reports that Special Operative and Constitutional Security Departments of MIA were abolished, instead a new service – State Security Agency was established, etc. People shall conclude that the MIA refuses to continue faulty activities of the SOD and CSD and tries to create a new and healthy system. However, as the video-roll shows the MIA still continues to use funds of local budgets.

Several days ago, eco-migrants returned to Adjara from Tsalka by 16 mini-buses. Years ago they were resettled to Tsalka from Khulo and Shuakhevi districts because of natural disaster. The houses they were settled in in Tsalka district were not registered on them. Owners of those houses had moved to Greece years ago. However, the owners now returned from Greece and got their houses back. Homeless eco-migrants again appealed to Adjara government for help.

15 May Tbilisi City Court did not satisfy the appeal of the Prosecutor’s Office on imprisonment of the First Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Gela Khvedelidze.  The accused has been obliged to pay bail of GEL 5000.

10 out of total 27 Georgian troops, who have sustained injuries in the May 13 attack by insurgents in Shir Ghazay, Helmand province in Afghanistan, were back on duty on May 14, the Georgian Ministry of Defense said.

Sexual minorities are equal citizens of this country and the society will “gradually get used to it”, PM Bidzina Ivanishvili said on Tuesday, when commenting on upcoming rally in Tbilisi center by gay rights activists to mark the International Day Against Homophobia on May 17.

Authorities in breakaway Abkhazia have suspended issuing Abkhaz passports to ethnic Georgian residents of the region fearing that the process might result into, as some Abkhaz officials put it, “Georgianization of Abkhazia.”

May 13 issue of the Rezonansi newspaper relates regarding the ongoing dispute between the journalists of the newspaper and the CEC. The article as well remarks that the DEC of Nadzaladevi district and CEC haven’t granted the application of the journalists. The journalists on their part demand making up of administrative offence protocol regarding the people that had interfered with the correspondents hampering their professional activity and insulted them during the interim elections of April 27.

In order to study Lapankuri Special Operation case Public Defender met with Chechen refugees and representatives of Chechen Diaspora throughout Europe who confirmed the accuracy of information provided in 2012 Parliamentary Report of Public Defender of Georgia.

First Deputy Interior Minister, Gela Khvedelidze, has been arrested and charged with breach of privacy in connection to the case involving leak of a secretly recorded threesome sex video, which purportedly featured a man who has recently been fiercely criticizing some senior officials, including Khvedelidze.

Patriarch of the Georgian Orthodox Church, Ilia II, has called on the Georgian authorities in his Easter epistle for adopting anti-abortion law, saying that it would contribute to resolving country’s “grave demographic situation.”

On May 4 Facebook users protested violation of the right to privacy at Rustaveli Avenue.  A special group – No More Footage! – was created on Facebook.

While Georgian Dream parliamentary (GD) majority is determined to override presidential veto on judicial council bill, it has yet to be seen how it will act in respect of another vetoed bill related to restricting defendant’s right in choosing between trial by jury or a judge.

Substantial discussion of Davit Adeishvili’s case at the Telavi district court is underway; Davit Adeishvili is brother of Zurab Adeishvili, former Minister of Justice of Georgia. At the trial on April 30, prosecutor introduced victim Ioseb Gotsiridze as a witness. The latter said that he and his colleagues were intimidated by Davit Adeishvili who compelled them to cancel purchase of Telavi agricultural market.

Parliament, dominated by Georgian Dream coalition, overturned apresidential veto on judicial council bill on May 1 with 91 votes to 26.