GYLA, in cooperation with the European Human Rights Advocacy Center (EHRAC), applied to the European Court of Human Rights on behalf of two former convicted for ineffective investigation of facts of ill-treatment implemented against them. 

Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association, Transparency International – Georgia, International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy and Civil Development Agency are making a statement on the repeated application of pre-trial detention against Giorgi Ugulava and specify the following:

For several years the Coalition for an Independent and Transparent Judiciary has been monitoring and analyzing the processes taking place in the court system.  This time the Coalition is addressing the fact of suspension of the appointment of judges at the High Council of Justice. 

The Coalition for an Independent and Transparent Judiciary welcomes timely completion of the process of election of a new Chief Justice.  Despite certain delays, the Parliament has still managed to complete the process according to the existing procedures and elected a new Chief Justice by 88 votes on March 20, 2018.  It also needs to be noted that for the first time in history, Georgia will have a female Chief Justice.  This is a step forward in increasing the role of women in deciding the issues of high importance.

On March 13-15 theatres and halls owned by Poti, Zugdidi, Senaki and Khobi municipalities held screenings of a documentary film - The Bloody Chronicle of the Saakashvili Regime. Screenings were organized by Gia Salukvadze. Saluvkvadze was released from prison as the Georgian Dream Government considered him a political prisoner. He is the head of All Generations for Georgia, a non-governmental organization. An exhibition was also held along with the screening, displaying photos from the film. The film shows and narrates stories of murder, people dying in suspicious circumstances, protest rallies dispersed using force by the police, unlawful imprisonments, video footage discovered in secret hideouts, and inhumane treatment, rape and torture of inmates in prisons during the United National Movement government. Local government representatives, local educational resource centers and the administration of local public schools were actively involved in organizing the events.

NGOs condemn recent physical confrontations and assaults on political grounds in Zugdidi and Batumi. 

 GYLA jointly with partner organizations submitted four coalition reports in the UN. The report covers 2010-2014 period and encompasses the following topics:

 1. Judiciary, law-enforcement and penitentiary systems; 

2. Labor rights, cultural heritage; 

We are deeply concerned for the murder of the businessman Besik Khardziani and convey our sincere condolences to his family and relatives. We call on the state authority to investigate the murder case immediately, comprehensively and impartially, to reveal offenders and to ensure their severe punishment according to the law.  

UN Human Rights Committee worked out its concluding observations about Russia at the session held on March 31, 2015. The Committee has adopted its observations on the basis of  the report submitted by Russian Federation to UN on March 16-17, 2015 and information proposed by NGOs. Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) and National Institute for Human Rights (NHIR) in cooperation with Human Rights Priority (HRP) submitted an alternative report at the session.

GYLA filed in the Constitutional Court representing interests of D.Ts. charged under Article 117 of the Criminal Code of Georgia (inflicting intentional damage to health). Article 117 of the Criminal Code prescribes prison time ranging from three to five years as a punishment. Tbilisi City Court re-qualified the charges and D.Ts. was found guilty for crime envisaged under Article 122 of the Criminal Code of Georgia (inflicting serious or less serious damage to health beyond the limits of necessary defense).