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Azerbaijan is hosting first European Games. On June 12th, grand welcoming ceremony was held in the specially built arena in Baku. Nevertheless behind the glaring glassy buildings for European games there are serious human rights issues in the country – according to international organizations Azerbaijan has tens of political prisoners. Human Rights Defenders consider that President Ilham Aliyev used the Olympic Games to divert attention of world leaders from human rights problems in Azerbaijan.

In March 2014, Jehovah Witnesses received permission from Terjola district administration to construct a royal hall. Several weeks after the construction started, clergymen of local Orthodox Church, their parish, school children and teachers organized protest demonstration – they oppose construction of the chapel of Jehovah Witnesses in the town center.

In Tsalka district, eco-migrants settled in the houses which were abandoned by local Greeks 10-12 years ago. The state has failed to register the houses on eco-migrants and to create minimum living conditions for them.

On April 28 this year, 13 families were evicted from the building in Melikishvili str. # 47. The fate of the homeless people is still unclear. Among evicted people are little children, old and bed-bounded sick people.

According to official information about 1500 Roma are registered in Georgia. Their big part lives in Tbilisi and Gachiani. In accordance to the survey conducted by the project researcher at the European Center for Minority Issues [ECMI] Giorgi Sordia, compact settlements of Roma people are in Leninovka village of Dedoplitskaro district, in Gachiani village of Gardabani municipality, in Telavi, Kutaisi, Kobuleti and in Isani-Samgori district and Lilo settlement in Tbilisi. The oldest and most traditional settlement of Roma people is in Leninovka where 18 Roma families/133 people live. Residents of this settlement have one common problem: majority of them have no access to education and healthcare services.

Neurology Institute – one of the most significant medical institutions in the Soviet Union was located in the high building in Gudamakari Street in Tbilisi since 1980s. After socially indigent families settled in the building, its profile changed and the state assigned it on the new inhabitants. Most of the socially indigent families registered the spaces in the former building of the Neurology Institute. JSC Telasi [Tbilisi Electricity Distribution Company] imposed the bill arrears of the Neurology Institute on the families; the company demands them to pay 87 lari for one square meter.

Sarvar Safarov’s historical surname is Lazishvili. He is a descendent of the Muslim Meskhs that were exiled from Georgia and after the law on repatriation was adopted in Georgia. He returned back to his homeland from Azerbaijan in May 2008. Sarvar Safarov settled in Akhaltsikhe, purchased a house with his own money and also brought his family there. Despite all that the Safarovs could so far not get a Georgian citizenship. They cannot properly integrate into the local society. “We could not get a citizenship and our children cannot get education in Georgia; if any of us have health problems, it is also a problem; pregnancy is a problem, job is a problem. Unless you have a Georgian citizenship, you will face many problems,” Sarvar Safarov told a representative of the Human Rights House Tbilisi. Like him, many repatriates in Georgia have problems of reintegration.

In April of 2014 Georgian Parliament adopted National Strategy on Human Rights with the aim to ensure effective realization of human rights with relevant legislative, institutional and practical changes. The document set forth strategic plan to tackle prevalent human rights problems in number of directions, including protection of rights of minorities, combating gender-based violence, safeguarding freedom of religion, ensuring right to peaceful assembly and manifestations, developing mechanism for effective investigation of human rights violations by Georgian law enforcement bodies, and etc… However, the documentations by Georgian human rights organizations reveal that there is a stark contrast between official discourses/policies and actual practices in some of the fundamental areas of human rights protection. Though there have been some positive developments in certain directions, Georgian government is critically failing to ensure the cornerstone of international human rights law, the premise of Universal Declaration of Human Rights – equality of all people.

Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety (IRFS) appeal in court what they see as politically motivated charges by the Azerbaijani authorities. Not releasing vital proof confiscated by the prosecutor is a violation of the right to a fair trail.