On 6-8 November, 2009, with financial support of GTZ and in cooperation with the Constitutional Court of Georgia GYLA implemented nationwide Olympiad “Young Lawyers for Constitutional Rights”.
The Olympiad has turned into annual tradition, as for the past three years it has been held in Batumi, at the Constitutional Court of Georgia.
Participants of the Olympiad were selected on the basis of a competition. Total of nearly fifty groups participated in the competition.
It has been two years since the tragic developments of November 7, 2007, when law enforcement officers unlawfully used excessive force to disperse peaceful rally participants, raided independent television and destroyed its equipment, used special means that were illegal at the given time; as a result at least 500 people were injured.
Although authorities have formally acknowledged that the November 7 lessons were learned, noted developments haven’t been thoroughly investigated; those who gave orders and those who executed these orders haven’t been indentified.
“Despite repeated calls from key international actors... the government [of Georgia] has refused to launch a comprehensive investigation into the events of November 7, 2007,” – says the World Report 2009 of Human Rights Watch.
Mr. Dmitry,
Let me inform you on several collective applications submitted to GYLA on October 28, 2009, by inmates of the Common, Strict and Jail Regime Institution (Ksani) No 7 of the penitentiary department.
62 inmates in cells #23, 25, 26, have signed noted applications, collectively corroborating unbearable conditions at the institution. More specifically, their claims regard
• living conditions (overcrowding, anti-sanitary, poor lighting and ventilation);
• health condition (consultations with doctor, lack of medication);
• attitude of the administration
Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association endorses draft of organic law initiated by the National Democratic Party in Parliament of Georgia – “On Amendments and Addendums to the Election Code of Georgia’, which aims at limiting participation of public officers in pre-election agitation and prohibiting the use of administrative resources.
It shall be noted that the draft law initiated by the National Democratic Party is based on GYLA’s recommendations “Regarding the Matters of Pre-Election Campaigning and the Use of Administrative Resources”, which was presented by GYLA to political parties working to reform the Election Code of Georgia in November 2009.
GYLA’s Foundation for the Support of Legal Education and Civil Law Group invite you to the public discussion on the topic of whether Georgia needs a new constitution.
Our honorary guests, Mr. Davit Usupashvili and Mr. Avtandil Demetrashvili along with students of Civil Law Group will review the applicable constitution, the history of its drafting and outlines of the new constitution. The role of the supreme law of the country in protecting human rights and liberties and maintaining checks and balances among different branches of the government will be discussed; along with how effectively the applicable constitution performs the role and what mechanisms would the new constitution employee to fulfill noted mission.
Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association organized a roundtable on December 9, at Courtyard Marriot Hotel, where draft of amendments to the Election Code prepared by lawyers of GYLA was presented to other non-governmental organizations.
NGOs and international organizations that focus on elections, also representatives of the Central Election Commission and chairman of the Parliamentary Legal Issues Committee attended the session.
Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) filed a coplaint at self-regulation commission of Rustavi 2 TV Company.
GYLA considers that the December 12 report broadcasted in ‘Post Scriptum’ programme on release of citizens of Georgia unlawfully detained by the Ossetian side and negative role of our organization in the noted matter:
