South Caucasus Network of Human Rights Defenders


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Round Table to Defend Georgian Human Rights Defenders
[18.01.2010]
On January 15 “South Caucasus Network of Human Rights Defenders”, coalition of non-governmental organizations “Civil Manifest” and “Georgian Young Lawyers Association” organized a round table in the hotel “Ambassador”.

Recently, especially after Georgia-Russian war human rights defenders and non-governmental organizations work in inconvenient conditions. The theme of round table was “Ensuring safer and enabling environment for Human Rights Defenders in Georgia”.

Authority tried to launch information campaign against human rights defenders through controlled media sources. On December 10, 2009, International Day of Human Rights, the news program of Georgian Public Broadcaster released a media report condemning Human Rights Priority’s activities related to the protection of human rights. The news item stated as if Human Rights Priority was “using the tragedy of war for its own benefits”.

TV-company “Rustavi 2” criticized “Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association” and stated that the organization sued state of Georgia at European Court in regard with August war in 2008. “Real-TV” portrayed former Public Defender of Georgia Sozar Subari as a negative person, because he had never defended the rights of orthodox Christians in Georgia.

Later, TV-companies criticized journalist Vakhtang Komakhidze, NGO activist Manana Mebuke and expert Paata Zakareishvili, because on December 16 they arrived in Tskhinvali and met various people among them separatist leader Eduard Kokoity.

Participants of the round table were Georgian human rights defenders and non-governmental organizations, representatives of Diplomatic Corp and international organizations accredited in Georgia: Tamar Khidasheli from GYLA, Murman Pataraia from “Equality Institute”, Nikoloz Legashvili from “Article 42 of the constitution”, Nino Tsikhistavi from “Caucasus Women’s Network”, Vakhtang Komakhidze, Nana Kakabadze, Paata Zakareishvili, Lia Mukhashavria from “Human Rights Priority”, Sopiko Katsarava-“British Embassy”, Francois Massoulie from EU delegation and others.

Georgian HR defenders reported to representatives of international organizations about current situation and obstacles of HR defenders in Georgia.

After the meeting participants discussed the results of the round table and stated it would be nice if similar meetings will be organized in future too.

“It will be urgently important, if the goal of the meeting will not be only meeting and if invited organizations will influence government of Georgia to stop terror on HR defenders in Georgia,” said Nana Kakabadze.

According to Lia Mukhashavria, the leader of the “Human Rights Priority”, it was first meeting to find ways to reduce involvement of the government in the activities of human rights defenders. “There are international documents which entitle international organizations and representatives of Diplomatic Corps to protect HR defenders in Georgia too. These meetings are good preventive mechanisms and it would be nice if they will be organized in future systematically.

The leader of GYLA Tamar Khidasheli hopes similar meetings will be more productive if international organizations become more active.

During the meeting representative of “Egalitarian Institute” was called by his brother who said near their house policemen stopped him and warned unless Murman Pataraia stops his current activities drugs would be planted on his car. This is one more example of obstacles HR defenders face in Georgia.

The meeting was held within the project “South Caucasus Network of Human Rights Defenders” funded by EU. The project was organized by coordinator organization of the network in Georgia the Human Rights Centre.

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