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Human Rights Center Requests to Impose Fines on the Minister and Academy Rector

July 7, 2016
 
Human Rights Center has drafted an administrative lawsuit where the organization requests to fine the Ministry of IDPs from the Occupied Territories, Accommodation and Refugees (representative – Minister Sozar Subari) and the Police Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (representative – rector Nukri Gelashvili).

Human Rights Center states in its lawsuit that the Police Academy of the MIA organized certificate- giving ceremony to the IDP and socially indigent students, who graduated the Academy, under charity of the Company British-American Tobacco. The tobacco producing company carried out illegal advertising sponsorship and the rector of the Police Academy and the Minister of IDPs supported them in it. The rector and the minister attended the ceremony together with the director of the British-American Tobacco Company.

Information about the event is available on the facebook page of the Police Academy of the MIA that is also violation because making the information public the Academy additionally advertises the sponsorship of the tobacco producing company. 

The Georgian legislation prohibits any kind direct or/and indirect sponsorship, that is via legal or physical person, by the tobacco producing, importer and sale companies. 

Demonstration of trade mark or logotype during medical or/and educational events by the tobacco producing company is punishable in accordance to the Article 1712 of the Administrative Code of Georgia. 

Despite the law provision, the MIA believes that it was charity act and not sponsorship when the company British-American Tobacco assigned equipment to the library of the Police Academy and funded education fees of some students. However, the Georgian legislation does not recognize this action as charity if it is evaluated as sponsorship based on the Law of Georgia on Advertising. 

In accordance to the Law of Georgia on Advertising, the sponsorship is a contribution of a natural or legal person to the activity of another natural or legal person (in the form of money, assets, outcome of intellectual activity, rendering service or rendered service, performing the work) on conditions that the product manufactured by the sponsor will be promoted. In accordance to the Article 3 Part 12 of the same law, tobacco product advertising – advertisement that bears a trade mark, logotype of tobacco product or tobacco manufacturer, shows tobacco product, its carton or box, the process of smoking or any other related activity. Banner of the company British-American Tobacco was demonstrated during the abovementioned students-awarding ceremony.

Human Rights Center addresses the Court to order law enforcement bodies to act in accordance to the law and fine the violators. 

Human Rights Center 

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