06.2007 - Source: Freedom House

The authorities respect freedoms of association and assembly; Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) are able to register and operate without arbitrary restrictions ("Freedom in the World 2007") [ID 20425]

"The authorities respect freedoms of association and assembly. Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) are able to register and operate without arbitrary restrictions. The community of NGOs in Georgia is large and active and plays an important role in public debates and discussions. The constitution and the Law on Trade Unions allow workers to organize and prohibit antiunion discrimination. The Amalgamated Trade Unions of Georgia, the successor to the grouping that existed during the Soviet period, is the principal trade union confederation. It is not affiliated with, and receives no funding from, the government."

Document(s): Open document

27.03.2007 - Source: International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights

Human rights defenders were subjected to recurrent acts of repression; Human Rights Information and Documentation Centre had been subjected to threats and harassment for allegedly spreading false information about ethnic minorities ("Human Rights in the OSCE Region: Europe, Central Asia and North America, Report 2007 (Events of 2006)") [ID 19529]

"Human rights defenders were subjected to recurrent acts of repression. The most frequent target was the Human Rights Information and Documentation Centre (HRIDC).  

On 1 and 2 February, representatives of the Interior Ministry visited the HRIDC office under the pretext of wanting to know more about the organisation’s activities but in fact threatened HRIDC representatives for their activities. One week later, an employee of the ministry’s counter-terrorism unit called the HRDIC Executive Director Ucha Nanuashvili and summoned him to the ministry to talk about the organization’s activities. The official threatened that should Nanuashvili not show up immediately, he would be brought there by force.  

HRIDC members had been subjectedto threats and harassment on several occasions before for allegedly spreading false information about ethnic minorities and representing the interest of “foreign forces.”"

Document(s): Open document

14.03.2007 - Source: International Federation for Human Rights

NGOs involved in the protection of minorities’ rights continued to be repeatedly harassed in 2006; offices of the NGO “Multinational Georgia” were burgled; hard disks and documents were stolen ("2006 Annual Report of the Observatory") [ID 19519]

"In Georgia, NGOs involved in the protection of minorities’ rights continued to be repeatedly harassed in 2006. On June 7, 2006, the offices of the Public Movement “Multinational Georgia” (PMMG), which promotes the rights and integration of minorities in Georgia, were burgled by unidentified individuals who stole hard disks, including, in particular, one containing a draft alternative report on the protection of national minorities that was to be sent to the UN and the Council of Europe, as well as documents analysing the authorities’ policy towards minorities."

Document(s): Open document
Open document

14.03.2007 - Source: International Federation for Human Rights

Ongoing harassment of the NGO “Human Rights Information and Documentation Centre”; executive director Ucha Nanuashvili was threatened to be brought by force to Ministry of Interior after he requested an official summons justifying the demand to present himself at the Ministry ("2006 Annual Report of the Observatory") [ID 19520]

"Ongoing harassment of HRIDC  

On February 1 and 2, 2006, representatives of the Ministry of the Interior came to the Human Rights Information and Documentation Centre (HRIDC) in Tbilisi and demanded to “know more about the organisation’s activities”. On February 7, 2006, Major Tengiz Tkebuchava, from the Counter-Terrorism section of the Ministry of the Interior, called Mr. Ucha Nanuashvili, HRIDC executive director, to inform him that Mr. Gia Gabuniale, head of the section, wished to “familiarise himself ” with the organisation’s operations.  

After Mr. Nanuashvili requested that an official summons justifying the request be provided to him, Mr. Tkebuchava demanded that he present himself immediately at the Ministry and threatened to have him brought by force if necessary. Mr. Nanuashvili refused to comply with the demand."

Document(s): Open document
Open document

02.2007 - Source: Human Rights Center

Several human rights defenders reported harassment in 2006 ("The Velvet Downfall; Human Rights Situation in Georgia in 2006") [ID 20418]

For documentation of individual cases please refer to the original document

Document(s): Open document

01.2007 - Source: Human Rights Watch

Government officials accused the leadership of the NGO "Young Lawyers’ Association" of being politicized and of misusing US$12 million in funding; they threatened several employees of NGO Human Rights Information and Documentation Centre ("World Report 2007") [ID 18519]

"Several human rights defenders reported harassment at the beginning of 2006. In January top government officials, including the defense minister, publicly accused the current leadership of the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA, a professional lawyers’ association) of being politicized and of misusing US$12 million in funding. The officials, who are themselves GYLA members, called for the resignation of the organization’s chairperson. GYLA claimed that this was in retaliation for its criticism of government policies.  

On February 1 and 2, Ministry of Interior officials visited the office of the Human Rights Information and Documentation Center (HRIDC), claiming they wanted to learn about the organization’s activities. They threatened several of the organization’s employees. On February 7, an official from the Ministry’s Counterterrorism Department requested that HRIDC director Ucha Nanuashvili go to the ministry to discuss the organization with senior officials. When Nanuashvili requested a formal summons, the official refused to provide one and threatened to bring him to the ministry by force. Nanuashvili did not go to the ministry and did not face any repercussions."

Document(s): Open document

02.10.2006 - Source: World Organisation Against Torture

Member of Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) received phone threat by unidentified man ("Threats against Ms. Lela Bekauri [GEO 005 / 0906 / OBS 115]") [ID 17492]

"The Observatory has been informed by the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) about the threats against Ms. Lela Bekauri, member of the Rustavi branch office of the GYLA.According to the information received, on September 21, 2006, the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association held a conference in its office in Rustavi, which was entitled “Deficiencies during pre-election troubles in Georgian regions”. During the briefing, Ms. Lela Bekauri pointed out the deficiencies that appeared during the campaign of the Rustavi majority candidate, Ms. Lela Aptsiauri, who distributed to the population vouchers worth to 37 kilowatts of electricity as part of her pre-election campaign.A couple of hours after the press conference, an unidentified man called Ms. Lela Bekauri on her phone at home, insulting and threatening her, in particular by saying that he would “catch [her] wherever”.Following these events, GYLA asked the authorities to carry out an investigation into these threats, but they have not received any reply yet. [...]"

Document(s): Open document

10.2006 - Source: International Federation for Human Rights

Ministry of Internal Affairs tried to put pressure on NGO Human Rights Information and Documentation Centre; offices of the Public Movement Multinational Georgia were robbed ("Note: Situation of Human Rights in Georgia") [ID 18496]

"FIDH, in the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme with OMCT, and HRIDC, express their deepest concern regarding recurrent acts of repression against human rights defenders, in particular intimidation, harassment or arbitrary detention, etc.  

On February 1 and 2, 2006, representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs visited the HRIDC office, pretexting that they wanted to know more about the organisation’s activities. During their visit, they actually tried to put pressure on HRIDC representatives. Besides, on February 7, 2006, an employee of the Counter Terrorism Department at the Ministry of Internal Affairs called Mr. Ucha Nanuashvili, HRIDC Executive Director, to informed him that the Head of this department wanted to talk with him in order to “get to know” about HRIDC activities.  

As Mr. Nanuashvili requested an official letter that would clearly state the reasons of such a summon, the Ministry agent demanded his immediate arrival, indicating that, in case of disobedience, he would be brought there by force. Nevertheless, Mr. Ucha Nanuashvili refused to go to the Ministry.  

The FIDH recalls that HRIDC members, in particular Mr. Nanuashvili, have been threatened and harassed for several years. For instance, on September 27, 2005, he had been accused over the phone of being an “informer” and a “betrayer”, by the Head of the Department for Relations with Georgian Diasporas and Inter-Ethnic Relations at the Georgian President’s Office. HRIDC, as an organisation, was accused of spreading false information about ethnic minorities and of representing the interest of “foreign forces”. […]

On June 7, 2006, the offices of the Public Movement “Multinational Georgia” (PMMG), a NGO that notably aims at promoting national minorities’ rights and developing their integration in the Georgian society, were broken into and robbed by unknown individuals who stole the hard disks of the computers, which contained many of the working documents of the organisation. In particular, the draft of an alternative report on the implementation of the Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, to be addressed to the United Nations and the Council of Europe, was stolen, as well as documentation and analytical materials describing situation of minorities in Georgia, which also included analysis of authorities’ policy on this item. However, all valuable equipments were left in the office.  

During the two previous weeks, several PMMG's employees and partner organisations had been contacted several times by State representatives, who were trying to obtain this alternative report. Faced with a refusal, the representatives had answered that they would “get it anyway”."

Document(s): Open document

29.09.2006 - Source: International Federation for Human Rights

New cases of arbitrary arrest and detention of 4 members of “Egalitarian Institute”, a newly-established Georgian NGO composed of human rights defenders, writers and intellectuals ("Arbitrary detention - GEO 004 / 0606 / OBS 085.1") [ID 17594]

"[I]n the evening of September 27, 2006, Mr. Irakli Kakabadze, Mr. Jaba Jishkarinani, Mr. David Dalakishvili and Mr. Levan Gogichaishvili, all members of the Egalitarian Institute, were arrested by patrol policemen in the Drug Centre Building in Tbilisi. They were demonstrating against the recurrent detention of some Institute members, as well as the lack of independence of the judiciary, in particular of the Court of Appeal. They also called for an impartial investigation into the murder of Mr. Sandro Gorgvliani, a young banker whose death is allegedly linked to high-ranking officials in the Ministry of the Interior. [...]

On June 29, 2006, five members of the Egalitarian Institute were arbitrarily arrested and subsequently detained while they were demonstrating outside the Court of Appeal of Tbilisi. Indeed, Mr. Irakli Kakabadze, Mr. Zurab Rtveliashvili, Mr. Lasha Chkhartishvili, Mr. Jaba Jishkariani and Mr. David Dalakishvili were arrested upon order of the Head of the Appellate Court of Tbilisi, while they were calling for the release of Mr. Shalva Ramishvili and Mr. David Kokhreidze, co-founders and shareholders of the independent TV company TV 202, which, in particular, broadcasts a programme called “Debatebi” (debates), dealing with issues like government corruption or lack of reform in favour of democracy. The two men were respectively sentenced to four and three years of prison for “extortion” on March 29, 2006, on the basis of fabricated charges. They had been arrested on August 27, 2005. The five men were immediately sentenced to 30 days of administrative imprisonment, without any Court hearing, by Ms. Eka Tkeshelashvili, the Head of the Court of Appeals, for “staging disorders in a court”(Article 208 of the Criminal Procedural Code), and brought to the pre-trial detention centre of the Ministry of Interior. They were all released at an unknown date.

In its appeal, the Observatory pointed out that Article 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code only envisages responsibility for disorders in the Court building, though the demonstrators were staying outside. In addition, this sentence blatantly contradicts the Constitution of Georgia as well as the European Convention on Human Rights as, pursuant to Article 208 of Criminal Code Procedure of Georgia, it was taken without any oral hearing and cannot be appealed."

Document(s): Open document

09.08.2006 - Source: Civil Georgia

Lasha Chkhartishvili, activist from the Equality Institute, jailed for 2 days after being accused of petty hooliganism ("Activist Jailed for ‘Hooliganism’") [ID 16936]

Document(s): Open document

04.07.2006 - Source: Civil Georgia

4 members of the NGO Equality Institute were detained and sentenced to 30-day imprisonment when they were protesting outside the Court of Appeals; the Chairman of the Court of Appeals said, that the activists were insulting and creating obstacles to a court hearing ("Ombudsman Condemns Arrest of Activists other » News «") [ID 15578]

Document(s): Open document

23.06.2006 - Source: World Organisation Against Torture

Office of "Multinational Georgia", a non-profit NGO aimed at promoting national minorities’ rights and developing their integration in society, broken into and robbed ("Break-in of the office of PMMG / Harassment [GEO 003 / 0606 / OBS 080]") [ID 15559]

Document(s): Open document

20.04.2006 - Source: Amnesty International

Human rights activist and Azerbaijani citizen could face forcible return; in Azerbaijan, he could be at risk of torture ("Urgent Action 97/06 [EUR 56/006/2006]") [#49861], [ID 5231]

Document(s): Open document
Open document

09.02.2006 - Source: International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights

Human Rights Information and Documentation Center threatened and pressured by representatives of presidential administration ("IHF concerned about pressure on the Human Rights Information and Documentation Centre (HRIDC)") [#44211], [ID 5233]

Document(s): Open document

14.01.2006 - Source: Civil Georgia

53 civil society organisations sign call on government for restraint over human rights advocacy group GYLA; representatives of authorities demanded resignation of chairperson Ana Dolidze, accusing her and current leadership of being politically-motivated and of being associated with opposition Republican Party ("Civil Groups Call on Officials for Restraint over GYLA") [#42148], [ID 5234]

Document(s): Open document

01.2006 - Source: Human Rights Watch

Government excluded some of the most critical human rights defenders from monitoring of prisons and police stations; Human Rights Information and Documentation Center representatives and Former Political Prisoners for Human Rights received threatening calls to their offices ("World Report 2006") [#42316], [ID 5235]

"Although the government works closely with a number of human rights NGOs, it has excluded some of the country’s most critical human rights defenders from important initiatives, such as the monitoring of prison facilities and police stations. In December 2004, unidentified persons made several threatening calls to the offices of an NGO called “Former Political Prisoners for Human Rights,” and in 2005, representatives of the Human Rights Information and Documentation Center told Human Rights Watch that government officials had telephoned their offices and warned them to stop work on particular cases."

Document(s): Open document

01.2006 - Source: Human Rights Center

Activities of critical non-governmental organizations are hindered, so that their influence is diminished; oppositional parties and individuals are also being harassed and publicly discredited ("Next Stop – Belarus?; Human Rights Report 2005; Georgia") [#43007], [ID 5236]

For documentation of individual cases please refer to the original document

"With regard to non-governmental organizations, those most critical and least liked are marginalized by authorities in order to diminish their influence. Their activities are hindered and they are barred from taking part in official programs intended to involve civil society, for instance the membership in monitoring committees.
Legislation seems to be prepared in such way as to have a lawful leverage against civil organizations in ‘emergency’ situations. In case the latter would not be sufficient, the possibility of a raid is always open. Threats are not infrequent. With regard to oppositional parties and individuals, the situation is somewhat similar, but maybe even more pronounced. Several cases of physical harassment and public discrediting have been reported."

Document(s): Open document

2006 - Source: Human Rights Center

Founder of "Imedi", the only humanitarian organization in Pankisi gorge, was sentenced to pre-trial detention in December 2005; thereafter all humanitarian activities carried out by "Imedi" were stopped ("Chechen Refugees in Georgia - The Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment of Chechens Living in Georgia") [ID 17927]

For more information about Chechen refugees in Georgia please refer to the original document

"On December 30th 2005, the founder of the only humanitarian organization in the Pankisi gorge area, Muhamed Mahaev, was sentenced to three months of pretrial detention following a decision of the City Court. His organization is accused of cooperation with the terrorist organization Al Qaeda. He was accused of falsifying documents, abuse of his position and embezzling 24,000GEL. The humanitarian organization ‘Imedi’ (‘Hope’), was founded by Mahaev in 2003 and assisted the Chechen Refugees in the Pankisi gorge with food and other useful supplies. According to the investigators, the donor organizations that financed Imedi have links with Al Qaeda. The Human Rights Information and Documentation Centre’s Executive Director, Ucha Nanuashvili, stated: “The accusation is absurd; one of the donor organizations, ‘Muslim Hands’, is partner of The Red Cross. Factually, the investigation also accuses these organizations of being tied to Al Qaeda.” Lawyer Davit Managadze also stated at the time: “the investigation is biased, they do not take all existing evidence into consideration. There is no reason for Mahaev’s imprisonment; the statement by the investigation that Mahaev may leave the country is unreasonable, seeing as his passport was taken away.” The General Prosecutor’s Office investigated the case from July 2005 onwards. During this period Mahaev did not hide from investigators. The Chechen Refugees Rights Protection Coordinating Council agreed to stand as a guarantor for Mahaev. They were sure that Mahaev would not miss his trial, stating: “We are petrified because of this trial. This shows they can accuse every Chechen of terrorism. They have been investigating this organization’s activities for months and could not find anything; their arguments are not reasonable”."

Document(s): Open document

08.2005 - Source: Freedom House

In the absence of strong political opposition, NGOs fill this role; according to journalists, all forms of opposition are marginalized by Saakashvili ("Freedom in the World 2005") [#41311], [ID 5237]

"In the absence of a strong political opposition, the NGO community began to fill this void during the year. In October, 14 prominent legal experts and journalists published an open letter that stated that Saakashvili was marginalizing all forms of opposition or alternative opinion. The authors of the letter said that “intolerance towards people with different opinions is being implanted in Georgian politics and in other areas of political life.”"

Document(s): Open document

15.06.2005 - Source: Freedom House

Legislation regulating the activities of NGOs is quite liberal; the visibility of NGOs diminished through 2004 ("Nations in Transit 2005") [#32929], [ID 5238]

"Civil Society. Legislation regulating the activities of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) is quite liberal. Not-for-profit organizations are easy to register, and they can operate freely. The number of NGOs is growing and civil society is vibrant and politically influential, though in 2004 its visibility diminished somewhat as compared with previous years. NGOs have accumulated important intellectual and institutional capacity, though in 2004 the sector was somewhat weakened after many leading activists joined the government. There are organizations with illiberal extreme right agendas, but in 2004 their influence diminished. The social base of NGOs is rather narrow, and organizations in most regions outside the capital are less developed. They are dependent mainly on foreign funding for their support, though the new 2004 tax code instituted tax breaks for charitable activities. Trade unions exist but have little influence. The rating for civil society remains unchanged at 3.50."

Document(s): Open document

14.04.2005 - Source: International Federation for Human Rights

Europe and CIS: Annual report focused on the situation of human rights defenders ("Human Rights Defenders on the Front Line") [#31363], [ID 5239]

Document(s): Open document

28.02.2005 - Source: US Department of State

In 2004, a number of domestic and international human rights groups generally operated without government restriction, investigating and publishing their findings on human rights cases; however, others complained of discrimination from government members ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2004") [#29503], [ID 5240]

"A number of domestic and international human rights groups generally operated without government restriction, investigating and publishing their findings on human rights cases. While some NGOs enjoyed free access and close cooperation with the Government, others complained of discrimination from government members.

Unlike in the previous year, no NGO members were arrested while observing elections.

An investigation of a 2002 attack on the Liberty Institute, the country's leading human rights organization, remained ongoing.

The law provides for the Ministry of Finance to access the funding records of international NGOs, alarming some in the NGO community; however, no NGOs complained of the Government using this provision in practice."

Document(s): Open document

12.2004 - Source: Human Rights Center

Marginalization of NGOs and Human rights defenders ("One Step Forward, Two Steps Back: Human Rights in Georgia after the “Rose Revolution”") [#27594], [ID 5241]

"Independent organizations are often ignored from a lot of fields of social life. Violating the principles of publicity and transparency, lack of informational access has become very frequent nature. Lots of HRIDC appeals to the Georgian government and to the different structures (parliament, Justice Ministry, State Chancellery, etc.) are lefts without reply. Government often tries to delay and hide the public information to the NGOs."

Document(s): Open document

12.2004 - Source: Human Rights Center

Georgia Fails to Ensure the Security of Human Rights Defenders ("One Step Forward, Two Steps Back: Human Rights in Georgia after the “Rose Revolution”") [#27594], [ID 5242]

"[...] Combating illegal migration and trans-national crime is of paramount importance because trafficking is becoming more dangerous day by day. Criminals who have been released from prison represent a danger not only for society but also for individual persons working in the fight against trafficking. Mr Nugzar Sulashvili, Chairman of the International Union: "Center for Foreign Citizens’ and Migrants’ Rights and Security" (FCRS), has more than once become the victim of a trafficker’s aggression. On 26 May 2004 there was an attempted kidnapping of his eleven year-old daughter, Salome Sulashvili, from the school which she attends. It was thanks to the timely involvement of teachers and police that the attempted abduction was averted. Mr Sulashvili and his family, as well as other members of the organisation, have already been victims of acts of harassment in the past by means of anonymous telephone calls and letters threatening their lives.
[...]
A criminal case has been started and the details are under investigation. People who have been defending the rights of others for the past years and who have saved thousands of people from danger have, themselves, turned out to be in serious danger. Mr Sulashvili’s family is gravely concerned about these events but the government fails to provide them with any security guarantees."

Document(s): Open document

04.08.2003 - Source: Freedom House

Attacks against NGOs by government-related, ethno-nationalist, and fundamentalist religious groups ("Nations in transit 2003") [#15273], [ID 5243]

"In 2002, the increasing influence of Georgia’s nongovernmental sector
produced a backlash that manifested itself in attacks against NGOs by government-related, ethno-nationalist, and fundamentalist religious groups. In July, for example, members of Jvari, a fundamentalist Christian organization, vandalized the offices of the Liberty Institute, a leading pro-democracy group, and severely beat several of its activists. After the breakup of the CUG, some of the president’s loyalists considered NGOs the principal allies of “reformist” factions and attacked them both in Parliament and in the media by accusing them of being stooges of foreign influence and misappro-priating grant moneys. There also were demands from the rump CUG and the Revival Party to more tightly regulate foreign grants to NGOs, but this did not lead to any specific action. On a more positive note, Minister of State Jorbenadze initiated several meetings between leading NGOs and major government figures during the second half of 2002. At these gatherings, NGOs were able to push for their reform agendas."

Document(s): Open document

31.03.2003 - Source: US Department of State

US State Department: Governmental attitude regarding international and national NGOs ("Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2002") [#11848], [ID 5244]

"A number of domestic and international human rights groups generally operated without government restriction, investigating and publishing their findings on human rights cases. However, some local human rights NGOs reported that government officials were slightly less responsive during the year than in the past.

There were a number of credible local organizations that monitored human rights, most of them in Tbilisi. Other local human rights groups were extensions of partisan political groups and these had little influence. NGOs were permitted to bring suits to courts of the first instance on behalf of persons whose rights were abused.

On July 10, there was a physical assault on the Tbilisi headquarters of the Liberty Institute, the leading human rights organization in the country. Approximately one dozen well-organized men entered the offices of the Liberty Institute and proceeded to beat the director and other staff. They also smashed computers, furniture, and other equipment. The attack left Liberty Institute Director Levan Ramishvili hospitalized with multiple contusions, eye injuries, and speech problems. Five other staff members were beaten. Several other staff and visitors, including a British government member of a Council of Europe fact-finding delegation, escaped the attack by barricading themselves behind a door. The July 10 attack followed a demonstration days earlier outside the Liberty Institute by supporters of Guram Sharadze, a member of Parliament. In a previous television debate, Ramishvili had accused Sharadze of publicly inspiring ethnic and religious intolerance. On July 25, a Tbilisi District Court released Giorgi Doijashvili, a member of the radical Orthodox group Jvari, suspected of carrying out the Liberty Institute attack. Doijashvili originally acknowledged his role in the attack but has since retracted his statement. Members of Jvari participated in numerous attacks on non-traditional religious groups in the past. The verdict of the court was hailed by the followers of defrocked Orthodox priest Basil Mkalavishvili who accused the Liberty Institute of protecting nontraditional religious groups such as the Jehovah's Witnesses (see Section 2.c.). The case remained under investigation at year's end.

During the year, legislation was adopted allowing the Ministry of Finance to access the funding records of international NGOs, alarming some in the NGO community. In August the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies stopped financing all projects and programs developed with the local Red Cross division after its leader was suspected of misuse of funds.

In 1997 the UNHRC and the OSCE Mission established a joint human rights office in Sukhumi, Abkhazia to investigate human rights abuses. The office has operated sporadically because of security conditions but has provided periodic findings, reports, and recommendations. During the year, the office registered relatively few complaints of abuse by de facto police and judicial authorities operating in the region.

NGOs continued to view the Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights as the most objective of the Government's human rights bodies. The Constitutionally mandated office of the Public Defender, or Ombudsman, was created in 1995. The National Security Council's human rights advisor, who has a mandate to investigation claims of abuse, and the Public Defender were active in several individual cases involving police misconduct (see Section 2.c.). However, while government representatives were effective in individual cases, neither they nor NGOs were successful in prompting systemic reform."

Document(s): Open document

07.03.2003 - Source: Institute for War and Peace Reporting

Georgia's national security ministry is working on a draft law that would strongly increase government control over NGO activities ("Tbilisi to Tighten Screws on NGO's") [#11343], [ID 5245]

"Georgia's non-governmental organisations are warning of dire consequences if a new draft bill goes through parliament that severely tightens government supervision of their activities.

The bill - entitled "On Suspension, Dissolution and Prohibition of Foreign-Managed Militant and Other Organisations" - was authored by the Georgian national security ministry.
[...]
What infuriates Georgian NGOs and human rights activists, however, is that the new law is targeting all non-governmental organisations in blanket fashion. "This law is like a government's dream come true of doing away with its opponents by branding them 'enemies of the people' or 'traitors', " said Georgia's human rights commissioner Nana Devdariani.

"An organisation may be suspended or prohibited if it receives financial support from foreign or international entities, or cooperates with such entities," says one of the clauses of the new law. If this wording is passed, all NGOs and most political parties will be targeted.
[...]
Last summer, the Georgian finance minister issued an order requiring NGOs to secure the ministry's permission before receiving any shipments or grants from abroad. In September, the same minister followed up with another edict, placing all bank accounts held by independent groups under government supervision. NGOs were told they would need the minister's approval for all their financial transactions.

A storm of protest caused the finance minister to cancel his second order within four days, and then the first one as well.

Last November, the government came up with another scheme aimed at NGOs. Excerpts were read out to parliament of the action plan of Georgia's counter-terrorist centre that advised political surveillance and infiltration of secret service agents into NGOs, religious and ethnic groups and political parties.

National Security Minister Valery Khaburdzania admitted the document was authentic, but pointed out it was only a draft that had not yet been approved.

Wishing to avoid accusations of conspiracy, security officials say this time they have made sure the draft was presented to the public as early as possible. "We encourage NGOs and politicians to contribute to the draft. I'm positive it will take a generally acceptable shape in the end," said Nika Laliashvili earlier this week."

Document(s): Open document

12.07.2002 - Source: Human Rights Watch

Human Rights Watch: Human rights defenders at serious risk in Georgia: Liberty Institute director and 5 other Liberty Institute members severely beaten ("Georgia: "Vicious" Assault on Rights Leaders") [#7778], [ID 5246]

Document(s): Open document

26.06.2002 - Source: Institute for War and Peace Reporting

IWPR: Brutal raid on the Liberty Institute viewed by rights activists as an officially tolerated campaign of intimidation against them ("Georgia: NGO Attack Inquiry Falters") [#10603], [ID 5247]

"Georgian human rights activists were outraged on July 25 when a Tbilisi district court conditionally freed the only man so far apprehended for involvement in a violent attack on the offices of the prominent non-governmental organisation.

Rights activists view the incident earlier this month as the latest act in an officially tolerated campaign of intimidation against them.

Giorgy Donijashvili, a member of the extremist Orthodox group Jvari (or "Cross") from the town of Rustavi, had admitted taking part in the attack, in which raiders injured six members of the Liberty Institute and smashed their computers.

Doinjashvili had justified the violence by saying he had wanted to punish those who were defending "members of sects, enemies of the Georgian church" - a reference to the institute's championing of Georgia's religious minorities.

The district court - which was reviewing an earlier court decision to imprison him for three months while the incident was investigated - came under siege by hundreds of supporters of Doinjashvili, led by the renegade former Orthodox priest Father Basil Mkalavishvili, demanding his release.

The judge, who declared that Doinjashvili had recently got married and there was no risk of him running away, freed him on condition that he remained under police supervision and did not leave the city.

There was no mention of the dozen or so other men who carried out the attack. The interior ministry said in a statement that "a case has been opened and responsibility for the incident is being placed on the religious group Jvari", and that it was also investigating other attacks against religious minorities.

The brutal raid on the Liberty Institute took place in the centre of Tbilisi on July 10. At around 2 pm, a group of around 15 young well-built men broke into the institute and without any warning began to smash up the office and beat everyone inside, both men and women. This IWPR correspondent was amongst those in the office at the time."

Document(s): Open document

26.02.2001 - Source: UN Human Rights Committee

UN Human Rights Committee: Harassment of members of NGOs ("Second periodic report submitted by a State party pursuant to article 40 of the Covenant; Georgia [CCPR/C/GEO/2000/2]") [#49455], [ID 5248]

"20. The Committee is concerned at the harassment of members of non-governmental organizations, particularly those defending human rights."

Document(s): State report
Concluding observations of 19 April 2002 [CCPR/CO/74/GEO]