The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association and the Office of the State Minister on Diaspora Issues signed the Memorandum of Cooperation in migration field on September 11, 2013 at 12:00.

On August 26, rights of Muslim population were grossly violated by dismantling mosque minaret in the village Chela of Adigeni Municipality by employees of the customs’ departments of the revenue service of the Ministry of Finance and abusing local residents physically by law-enforcement representatives. 

None of the recent facts (Nigvziani, Tsintskaro, Samtatskaro) of threats towards the Muslim community, their persecution, creation of obstacles to performance of their religious rituals or hooliganism were followed by the relevant punishment of law offenders. Inadequate, discriminatory and inefficient actions of the state resulted in systemic nature of harassment of Muslims based on religious grounds.

The below signatory civil society organizations disapprove of the legal draft submitted to the parliament that imposes administrative liability for hurting religious sentiments. 

The Parliament of Georgia is currently reviewing a bill qualifying public expression of hatred towards sacred objects, religious organizations, clergymen or worshippers by an individual, aimed at hurting religious sentiments, as administrative offence and envisaging subsequent administrative liability. We believe that the bill falls short of Constitutional and international human rights standards, and is essentially harmful to freedom of expression, and the development of pluralistic, liberal and democratic society in the country.  

Development of the local self-government is one of the most essential preconditions for the European countries development. Self-governing bodies, which are well aware of the problems faced by local dwellers, as well as citizen-oriented territorial entities, local self- government entities with sufficient budget authorities (self-governing cities and communities), represent the basis for a sustainable and democratic development of the country. Carrying out a comprehensive reform of the local self-government is the fundamental principle for proper development of Georgia. This will establish European governance in the country and will contribute to the process of further integration of Georgia into the European Union (EU). 

Media Advocacy Coalition objects to  the November 5, 2013 decision of Ajara High Council which completely ignored “the Law on Broadcasting” and violated quota system envisaged by the law for election of members of the Board of  Trustees of Ajara TV and radio. Members of the “Georgian Dream”  disallowed minority members to nominate their candidates for the membership to the Board of Trustees, as provided by the “Law on Broadcasting”. As a result, by the decision of November 5, 2013 the Board of Trustees of Ajara TV was manned by one-party principle.  

The Coalition for an Independent and Transparent Judiciary, which unites more than 30 non-governmental organizations, has been actively working on the reformation of judiciary. The reform covers various aspects and along with the improvement of legislation, it is important to eradicate shortcomings existing in the practice. In this regard, the Coalition has showed interested towards issues related to specialization of judges of the Supreme Court. 

Beneficiary of GYLA’s legal aid, a public school teacher illegally dismissed from work was restored to her former position based on court’s ruling 

Lawyer of GYLA’s office in Tbilisi was defending interests of a former public school teacher, M.G., who was also a member of the board of trustees of the public school. In 2011 the school principal terminated her labor contract and dismissed her from school in gross violation of law, and without consent of the board of trustees. M.G. also had not received her compensation in the amount of GEL 400 for tutoring classes. The applicant filed in court seeking annulment of the order of dismissal, compensation for forced absence and tutoring.  

It should be noted that post elections day complaints mainly concerned technical gaps, such as filling out election documentation incorrectly/incomprehensively. Number of complaints was written regarding filling out the summary protocol and the control sheet incorrectly. In addition, the complaints were submitted on failure to observe certain procedural issues, such as problems with the seal of the precinct election commission or submission of unstamped log book or registration book and etc.  

On October 7, 2013  22 former employees from the local council applied to GYLA for legal assistance. In the application they have noted that in September they were released from the office under the motive of structural reorganization and asked to determine the legality of their dismissal.  

GYLA studied the application, submitted documents and requested from the local council additional information. On the basis of the documents we can conclude that they have been dismissed in violation of law. The opinion is underpinned with the following circumstances: 

The below signatory organizations express our negative attitude once again in terms of the draft initiated in the Parliament qualifying public expression of hatred towards sacred objects, religious organizations, clergymen or worshippers by an individual, aimed at hurting religious sentiments as administrative offence and envisaging subsequent administrative liability. In addition, illegal interference in divine service or religious rights or defile of religious constructions or other sacred objects, any inscriptions thereon or/and their injury should also be qualified as administrative offence.