GYLA publishes Second Interim Report on Pre-election Monitoring See Report.
2008-05-18 20:00 See moreSince its establishment, the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) has been actively involved in monitoring elections on various levels. Given the fact that elections do not actually commence on the day of vote, it is rather obvious that determining legality, democracy or transparency of the elections necessitates a focus on the pre-election campaign. On 5 February 2008, GYLA, in collaboration with three local observer organizations, published “Ten Pre-conditions for Free and Fair Parliamentary Elections in Georgia”. Pre-election monitoring by GYLA observer mission is based upon these principles. Our goal is to study compliance with electoral legislation by Election Administration, political subjects, media outlets, public officials and authorities, and to take appropriate legal remedies once violations are observed. GYLA monitors the pre-election term in Tbilisi and 7 regional centers (Telavi, Rustavi, Dusheti, Gori, Kutaisi, Ozurgeti and Batumi). GYLA attorneys and media monitoring specialists participate in the monitoring process. This report covers information available from the start of pre-election campaign (21 March) to April 25. GYLA will continue its pre-election monitoring. The initial report will be published a day prior to the voting day and the final report of pre-election monitoring will be published after elections. See Report.
2008-04-29 20:00 See moreFrom April 1, 2008 the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association has been implementing monitoring of the pre-election campaign in Tbilisi, Rustavi, Telavi, Gori, Dusheti, Kutaisi, Ozurgeti and Batumi. Following instances of violations of pre-election campaign have been revealed as a result of the monitoring: Participation of public servants in pre-election agitation.
2008-04-17 20:00 See moreGeorgian Young lawyers’ Association, Penal Reform International and Human Rights Watch address President with open letter concerning real and effective implementation of the UN Anti-torture Convention Optional Protocol for the prevention of Torture. On 22 June 2006 the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention on “Prohibition of Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment” was enacted for Georgia. The State undertook an obligation to create within a year, by 22 June 2007, a national mechanism for the prevention of torture (NPM) with the highest guarantees of independence and effectiveness. Recently it become known to the public about a proposal to assign the Public Defender of Georgia as a national preventive mechanism by the decree of the president, without creating effective guarantees for the independence and efficiency of the mechanism. Observer members of the Interagency Coordination Council created by the Decree of the President in 2007, Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association, Penal Reform International, Human Rights Watch appeal to President to refrain from regulating the issue of NPM by a presidential decree. Non-state observer members of the council ask government instead reinforce the institution of Public Defender by ensuring that the necessary legislative safeguards for independence of the mechanism are instituted, and genuine National Mechanism for the Prevention of Torture under the Public Defender is created. Please see letter
2008-04-08 20:00 See moreOn April 1, in the Hotel Tbilisi Marriot the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association with the financial aid of the British Council made presentation of a new web-page www.legaleducation.ge. Through the portal all university entrants and other interested persons can receive exhaustive information on all the accredited universities that have law faculty. On the web-page interested persons can receive information on the ways to receiving scholarships and afterwards continue studies in prestigious foreign Universities. Through the web-page interested persons can enter the electronic catalogue of GYLA Law Library and receive comprehensive information on the legal literature in Georgian, Russian, French, German and English languages. At about 15 representatives from universities, British Council, British Embassy, US Councils, American Bar Association, DAAD program, IREX and other organizations attended the event.
2008-04-01 20:00 See moreThe Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association deployed an Observation Mission to the 5 January 2008 Out-of-turn Presidential Election. Election observation included monitoring of both the Election Day and the pre-election campaign. An important object of observation was election funds as well. We are presenting election funds monitoring report prepared by GYLA.In case of interest, please, see the attached document.
2008-03-23 20:00 See moreOn 21 March, 2008 by the third hearing Parliament of Georgia passed the draft of amendments to the Election Code. Hereby we present the GYLA initial assessments with regard to the draft law adopted by the Parliament of Georgia on March 21. Please see also "Problems Revealed and Recommendations Concerning the 5 January 2008 Out-of-turn Presidential Elections."
2008-03-23 20:00 See moreOn 29 February, on the plenary session, the Parliament of Georgia will debate draft amendments pertaining to the civil registry legislation initiated by the Legal issues Committee. Under the amendments presented to the Criminal Procedural Code, prosecutor is entitled to suspend a passport of a citizen of Georgia without permission issued by judicial authorities. GYLA has studied the initiated draft law and addresses the Legal Issues Committee with a negative report. According to the draft law, prosecutor, in violation of fundamental principles envisaged in the Constitution of Georgia and the European Convention, is authorized to suspend a passport of a suspect without permission of a judge ordering measures of restraint (suspect is not wanted). The amendment entitles the prosecutor to restrict citizen’s right to freedom of movement; moreover, the prosecutor, without the decision issued by the judge, applies preventive measures against the citizen (disallowing to leave the country). Georgian young Lawyers’ Association maintains that the initiated draft law contradicts the Constitution of Georgia and the European Convention and calls on the Legal issues Committee to recall the initiative. If draft amendments are adopted, GYLA will apply to the Constitutional Court. Please See GYLA's opinion (In Georgian)
2008-02-27 20:00 See moreThe NGOs which are planning to observe the Parliamentary Elections, publicize the following 10 pre-conditions for fair and free elections in Georgia. Ten Pre-Conditions for Free and Fair Parliamentary Elections in Georgia
2008-02-04 20:00 See moreGYLA Publishes Monitoring Report for 5 January, 2008 Presidential Elections. GYLA 2008 5 January Elections Monitoring Final Report
2008-01-16 20:00 See more