Negotiations between the ruling and opposition parties about election reform have resumed. Both sides have agreed to individual consultations. We, as organizations observing negotiations between the ruling and opposition parties on election reform, welcome the decision by both sides to resume consultations. We are Transparency International– Georgia, International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy, Georgian Young Lawyer’s Association, and New Generation – New Initiative. We think, however, that changing the consultations to a closed format will decrease their transparency.
2011-05-13 13:35 See moreThe Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) filed in the Constitutional Court of Georgia on behalf of citizen Davit Shubladze with a request to repeal Article 91 (stop and frisk) of the law of Georgia on Police, as it contradicts Article 18 (right of liberty and integrity) and Article 20 (right to personal life) of the Constitution of Georgia.
2011-05-13 08:07 See moreOn April 28, at 12:00 pm at the Radisson Hotel the Georgian Young Lawyers Association held presentation of results of the research conducted in frames of the project ‘Promotion of Accountability and Transparency in Georgia’. The research covered analysis of practice of common and constitutional courts with regard to freedom of information in 2008-2010. The analysis entitled Freedom of Information in Georgia – Basic Trends of Court Practice reflects the freedom of information standards elaborated by the judicial authority in Georgia.
2011-05-02 07:10 See moreGeorgian Young Lawyers’ Association responds to the comment of the Ministry of Justice of Georgia concerning the ECHR’s ruling into the case of Enukidze v Georgia and considers that the state authorities of Georgia should adequately evaluate the noted ruling of the Court and take it into consideration.
2011-04-29 09:40 See moreOn April 21, at 14:00 in Gori, hotel Victoria, U.S. Ambassador to Georgia John Bass and the Georgian Young Lawyers Association Chairperson Tamar Chugoshvili awarded winners of a competition of paintings and plays.
2011-04-29 08:45 See moreGeorgian Young Lawyers’ Association was providing legal assistance to a citizen, Eka Matiashvili who was assaulted by an officer of the Ministry of Interior Affairs, Otar Gvenetadze on January 3, 2011, during the crackdown of veterans’ rally. With GYLA’s assistance Eka Matiashvili filed a claim in Tbilisi City Court for pecuniary damages. The lawsuit was filed against the Ministry of Interior Affairs and personally Otar Gvenetadze. The plaintiff claimed GEL 10 000 for pecuniary damages.
2011-04-29 07:01 See moreOn April 26, 2011, the ECHR ruled in the case of Enukidze and Girgvliani v Georgia. The ruling contains a number of significant and important messages for the investigative authorities of Georgia. Specifically, the ruling directly lays out how investigation of crimes that has been allegedly committed by state officials, in order to ensure that investigation is in full compliance with provisions of Article 2 (effective investigation) of the Convention. In the case of Enukidze and Girgvliani v Georgia the ECHR found that there had been violation of Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights, as the case of kidnapping and death of Sandro Girgvliani manifestly lacked the requisite independence, impartiality, objectivity and thoroughness.
2011-04-29 06:44 See moreIn GYLA’s view, Merab Chikashvili, Akaki Chikovani and Giorgi Kharabadze in administrative detention at N2 temporary detention isolator of MIA are held in conditions that violate applicable legislation of Georgia and amount to inhumane and derogatory treatment.Having sentenced to administrative punishment by Tbilisi City Court, Merab Chikashvili, Giorgi Kharabadze and Akaki Chikovani detained during the March 25, 2011 rally were transferred to N2 temporary detention isolator of MIA. After serving the ten-day term of imprisonment, Akaki Chikovani was released on April 4, 2011 at 17:40; Merab Chikashvili and Giorgi Kharabadze remain in detention till April 14, 2011.During the administrative imprisonment, their opportunity to realize even minimum rights guaranteed by the Georgian legislation for persons in administrative detention is limited. Rights of persons held in temporary detention isolators in compliance with administrative procedure are defined by Typical Regulations, Routine and Additional Instruction Regulations the Temporary Detention Isolators adopted by N106 order of the Minister of Interior Affairs, dated February 1, 2010.
2011-04-07 15:00 See moreMar 29, 2011 - When I go to a hospital or clinic, I expect to receive good quality, respectful care, and I usually do. Unfortunately, that is not the experience for many people around the world. For them, health care settings are not places of healing, but places where severe mental or physical suffering is inflicted as a result of government policy or negligence. This is especially true for patients from socially marginalized groups - people living with HIV, gays and lesbians, transgender persons, people who use drugs, and people with intellectual disabilities or mental health problems. Their contact with health facilities is too often characterized by physical abuse, insults, invasion of privacy, forced medical procedures, or denial of treatment. This amounts to cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment - and in some cases, torture.
2011-03-31 08:36 See moreOn March 25, 2011, patrol police officers dispersed peaceful protesters gathered in support of prisoners outside the Ministry of Corrections and Legal Assistance of Georgia. Seven protesters were detained on charges of administrative offence: Giorgi Burjanadze, Vladimer, Sadgobelashvili, Merab Chikashvili, Otar Bekauri, Akaki Chikovani, Besik Tabatadze and Giorgi Kharabadze.We denounce the incident and consider that due to the following circumstances dispersion of the assembly and detention of protesters amounted to violation of the right of assembly and manifestation, guaranteed by law:1. Tbilisi City Hall was provided with prior notice about the intention to hold the gathering, pursuant to the applicable law; 2. The blockage of the public thoroughfare was natural, due to the amount of the rally participants and for a short period of time, which is confirmed by the witness’s statement before court; 3. The patrol police was not authorized to order dispersion, even if the rally participants had violated the law, as under paragraph 4 of Article 11 of the Law of Georgia on Assembly and Manifestation, the authority is reserved for municipal governance; 4. During the trial, patrol police officers stated that they were not concerned whether the assembly was legal or whether the protesters had the right to block the public thoroughfare. They also clarified that they started dispersion of the rally immediately upon arrival; 5. If the protesters had violated the law, it was the municipal authority who should have ordered the protesters to vacate the public thoroughfare – which was not the case and the law enforcement officers started dispersing the protesters without any prior order and by use of force.The right to assembly and manifestation entails the government’s obligation to tolerate. According to the case law of ECHR, short-term impediment of free movement, even by a small group of people, may not serve as a legal basis for dispersion of a gathering and detention of protesters.
2011-03-28 09:37 See more