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We, the undersigned members of the Network of Human Rights Houses and other international civil society organisations urge the government of Georgia to immediately end the ongoing repressions against independent voices. We condemn the use of illegal and disproportionate force against largely peaceful protestors, physical attacks against civil society representatives, alleged illegal detention of a well-known blogger, coordinated campaign of smear, harassment and intimidation against journalists, human rights defenders and their family members, including children.

Human Rights House Foundation joins a coalition of press freedom, journalists and human rights organizations led by The International Press Institute (IPI) in writing to Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Kobakhidze, urging him to withdraw the Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence, guarantee the safety of journalists and uphold press freedom in Georgia.

As Georgian authorities look to introduce new “foreign agent” legislation, HRHF’s Kety Abashidze outlines the situation unfolding in the country and highlights the importance of international organisations, civil society and like-minded states to show solidarity with the Georgian public and civil society and to call on the authorities to abandon the law.

Human Rights House Foundation (HRHF) advocated alongside partners during the 55th session of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) on human rights issues including calling for the renewal of key mechanisms and mandates.

Human Rights House Foundation and members of the Network of Human Rights Houses urge the Parliament of Georgia and the National Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Republika Srpska to drop proposed “Foreign agent” legislation that can damage civil society and media irreversibly, to respect international obligations undertaken by their states under Council of Europe and the UN instruments, and to uphold fundamental freedoms underpinning free and independent civil society.

The human rights situation across the regions where Human Rights House Foundation (HRHF) works was further influenced by military conflict and crackdown against independent civil society. Despite this, we continued to work closely with the Network of Human Rights Houses to protect and advance human rights. Read our 2023 Annual Report.

On 18 March 2024, in Vienna, Human Rights House Foundation and the Netherlands Helsinki Committee co-hosted a civil society Human Dimension event where OSCE State delegations could hear directly from human rights defenders from seven countries, including representatives from several Human Rights Houses in the region.

On 18 March 2024, Human Rights House Foundation and the Netherlands Helsinki Committee organised a civil society event where 20 CSO representatives briefed OSCE delegations in Vienna on the human rights situations in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Türkiye and Ukraine.

Ahead of International Human Rights Day 2023, HRHF has spoken to several human rights defenders from around the Network of Human Rights Houses to ask them about the state of human rights in their countries and why they find it important to continue their work.