http://humanrightshouse.orgenHuman Rights House Foundationniels.jacob@humanrightshouse.org (Niels Jacob Harbitz)Mon, 22 Apr 2013 10:57:01 GMTWed, 22 May 2013 12:17:15 GMTNoop 2.360http://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/19224http://humanrightshouse.org/Articles/19224.htmlThe US Department of State has issued a report on human rights practices for 2012. 61-page report on Georgia reflects the main human rights trends in the country.Mon, 22 Apr 2013 10:57:01 GMThttp://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/19086http://humanrightshouse.org/Articles/19086.htmlThe right to be a human rights defender has been reinforced by the resolution adopted by consensus at the Human Rights Council. The resolution focuses on legislation affecting, restricting and criminalising the work and activities of human rights defenders.Thu, 21 Mar 2013 15:06:02 GMThttp://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/19173http://humanrightshouse.org/Articles/19173.htmlFIDH and the Human Rights Center (HRIDC) in Georgia welcome the recent release of 190 political prisoners under Georgia’s Law on Amnesty , passed on 12 January 2013. We encourage the Georgian government to undertake further judicial reform.Thu, 21 Mar 2013 10:28:38 GMThttp://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/19166http://humanrightshouse.org/Articles/19166.htmlMinistry of Justice introduced a new Labor Code of Georgia where substantial amendments are made. New amendments promote protection of employees’ rights and prevent them from illegal dissmisals from work. Though, Ministry of Justice of Georgia did not fully consider some fundamental recommendations of NGOs and Trade Unions while working on the draft. In particular, a new draft Labor Code does not duly envisage women’s labor rights, employment of people with disabilities and their labor rights.Mon, 18 Mar 2013 09:05:33 GMThttp://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/19123http://humanrightshouse.org/Articles/19123.htmlIn September 2012, Georgia was rocked by a massive prison scandal when video was broadcasted showing prison staff abusing, torturing and sexually molesting prisoners. The scandal had a great impact on the political climate in the country, in particular because over the years a lot of investments had been made in the penitentiary system. However, the real scope of the problem became only clear later that year and new facts are still being revealed every day.Thu, 07 Mar 2013 11:02:23 GMThttp://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/19042http://humanrightshouse.org/Articles/19042.htmlEuropean Court of Human Rights passed guilty verdicts on Georgian state in three cases. They are: “Jashi vs Georgia,” “Jeladze vs Georgia” and “Baisuev and Anzorov vs Georgia.” In the first two cases the ECHR concluded violation of the Article III of the European Convention on Human Rights (torture, inhuman and degrading treatment) and violation of the Article V Part 2 of the Convention (right to liberty and security). All three cases were sent to the European Court of Human Rights by Human Rights House Tbilisi member local nongovernmental organization Article 42 of the Constitution.Fri, 01 Feb 2013 09:28:23 GMThttp://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/19027http://humanrightshouse.org/Articles/19027.htmlAfter the Parliamentary Election of October 1, 2012 people in Georgia already expected that several senior officials of the previous government would be placed behind bars. One of the main pre-election promises of winning political coalition Georgian Dream was to investigate corruption and torture crimes allegedly committed by former senior governmental officials and to hold them responsible for those crimes. A series of detainments started on November 6 with the detention of Bacho Akhalaia, the former minister of interior. After the Parliamentary Elections of October 2012, about 25 former senior officials were detained under various charges in Georgia.Wed, 23 Jan 2013 12:09:59 GMThttp://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18989http://humanrightshouse.org/Articles/18989.htmlParliament of Georgia elected new ombudsman Ucha Nanuashvili on December 7th by 82 votes against 18. Ucha Nanuashvili has been heading a local NGO Human Rights Center for years. Recently he has been chosen as a chairman of board of the Human Rights House Tbilisi. HRHT interviewed Ucha Nanuashvili.Fri, 28 Dec 2012 10:11:45 GMThttp://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18988http://humanrightshouse.org/Articles/18988.htmlJournalist Anuna Bukia, an IDP from Sokhumi, Abkhazia, thinks it is difficult to be an IDP in Georgia not only because of social-economic factors but because of negative approach of the Georgian society towards internally displaced people.Thu, 27 Dec 2012 07:17:55 GMThttp://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18947http://humanrightshouse.org/Articles/18947.htmlOn Monday, December 10, the South Caucasus Network of Human Rights Defenders held a press-conference with regard to International Human Rights Day and presented report on the situation of human rights defenders in Georgia. The report is published as part of a joint report of South Caucasus Network of Human Rights Defenders, which covers situation of human rights defenders in Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan.Tue, 11 Dec 2012 07:29:08 GMThttp://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18818http://humanrightshouse.org/Articles/18818.htmlAppeal Statement of Nongovernmental Organizations to Parliament of Georgia to Nominate Mr. Ucha Nanuashvili on the position of Public Defender of GeorgiaWed, 07 Nov 2012 06:48:39 GMThttp://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18797http://humanrightshouse.org/Articles/18797.htmlOn October 25-27, regional meeting of the South Caucasus Network of Human Rights Defenders was held in Tbilisi based hotel Bomondi. The main topic of the conference was intimidation on human rights defenders and lawyers in the South Caucasus countries. They planned joint strategic campaign and drafted recommendations to the governments of South Caucasus countries.Fri, 02 Nov 2012 05:51:44 GMThttp://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18714http://humanrightshouse.org/Articles/18714.htmlOn October 1, 2012 Parliamentary Elections were held in Georgia. It was first elections throughout twenty-year-long independence history of the country when the government has changed through elections.Thu, 18 Oct 2012 12:48:58 GMThttp://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18631http://humanrightshouse.org/Articles/18631.htmlVideo footages depicting grave abuses, beating and humiliation of prisoners by the prison guards were last week shown on Georgian TV channels.Wed, 03 Oct 2012 11:16:01 GMThttp://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18543http://humanrightshouse.org/Articles/18543.htmlEka became victim of sexual violence at the age of nine. She is among a huge number of Georgian womens that are sexually abused - and ignored.Tue, 18 Sep 2012 12:52:25 GMThttp://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18523http://humanrightshouse.org/Articles/18523.htmlLately, the government of Georgia and the ruling party – United National Movement [UNM] became targets of strict criticism from two international institutions simultaneously. Co-rapporteurs from Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) and OSCE PA Pre-Election Mission laid out particular concerns about current situation in Georgia and demanded the government to create equal conditions for all political parties during pre-election campaign.Thu, 23 Aug 2012 13:18:29 GMThttp://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18460http://humanrightshouse.org/Articles/18460.htmlFour years have passed since the armed conflict of August, 2008. Hundreds of people – including peaceful civilians -died during the Russian-Georgian hostilities. Thousands of Georgians were displaced and the territories of Akhalgori district and Kodori Gorge were occupied by Russian military forces. Georgia completely lost control over enclaves in South Ossetia which were previously inhabited by ethnic Georgian people.Thu, 09 Aug 2012 12:27:51 GMThttp://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18335http://humanrightshouse.org/Articles/18335.htmlNatural disasters are a common problem in Georgia. Floods, landslides, storms, hurricanes and other natural disasters often destroy houses and residential areas for people. According to Georgian legislation, people uprooted by natural disasters, so called eco-migrants, do not have IDP status and are not entitled to the social benefits of internally displaced people (IDPs). One of the main shortcomings in dealing with natural disasters is the lack of risk assessments which leads to damages that end up costing the state millions of lari. Most often, the government chooses to deal with the results of natural disasters instead of investing in preventive measures.Wed, 11 Jul 2012 13:30:58 GMThttp://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18253http://humanrightshouse.org/Articles/18253.htmlIn his report, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Maina Kiai, voiced alarm at the increasing climate of fear and intimidation against opposition parties, labour unions and members of non-governmental organizations.Mon, 25 Jun 2012 17:03:56 GMThttp://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18178http://humanrightshouse.org/Articles/18178.htmlPeaceful demonstrations celebrating the 10th anniversary of World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development, and the International Day against Homophobia were met with violence and retaliation.Fri, 08 Jun 2012 21:31:17 GMThttp://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18108http://humanrightshouse.org/Articles/18108.htmlViolations of the presumption of innocence; revealing the identity of underage victims and defendants; copying of positions and narratives of law enforcement agencies; unethical epithets; superficial reporting and lack of professionalism – these are the main findings of the Human Rights Center’s monitoring of the Public Broadcaster's news program and various print media outlets.Mon, 28 May 2012 12:15:04 GMThttp://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18076http://humanrightshouse.org/Articles/18076.htmlThe most important human rights problems reported during the year were: 1. Abuse of prisoners and detainees by government officials as well as dangerously substandard prison conditions. 2. Shortfalls in the rule of law such as concerns about ensuring the judiciary’s independent and even-handed application of due process protections. 3. Government interference with unions’ fundamental freedom of association in several areas including interference with strikes, arbitrary dismissals, interference with collection of dues, and harassment and intimidation of labor activists.Fri, 25 May 2012 09:55:04 GMThttp://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18068http://humanrightshouse.org/Articles/18068.htmlMore and more trees have been cut down in Tbilisi recently. Despite public protest, trees have been cut down on Moscow Avenue, in Kikvidze Square, in Victory Park and finally on Baratashvili Street as well. Sometimes trees are cut down to make way for police stations, but in Victory Park they were removed for the construction of a media library. Tbilisi City Hall claims that it was necessary to cut down the trees because they could not find alternative space for the police station.Fri, 25 May 2012 07:45:35 GMThttp://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/17962http://humanrightshouse.org/Articles/17962.htmlOn May 1, authoritative international organization Freedom House released its 2012 annual report which evaluates the freedom of media worldwide based on the data collected throughout 2011. According to the report, Georgia registered progress and moved from 55 to 52 points. However, Georgia still occupies place among partly-free countries out of 197 states and territories and is still very close to 61 point limit which starts list of not-free states.Wed, 02 May 2012 11:31:52 GMThttp://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/17945http://humanrightshouse.org/Articles/17945.htmlGeorgian Bar Association and human rights defenders protest institutional persecution of lawyers in Georgia. The parliamentary majority avoids speaking about it. Minority representative, deputy chair of the Parliament’s Human Rights Committee Dimitry Lortkipanidze rebuked the Public Defender for not having reflected the facts of lawyers’ rights violation in his annual report.Fri, 27 Apr 2012 13:15:24 GMT