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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.

“There is no greater injustice than that which is perpetrated in the name of the law,” stated the human rights defender Intigam Aliyev after the hearing in the case against him on 31 March in The Baku Court on Grave Crimes.

Public verbal attacks against human rights organisations in Georgia have increased. Some leading political figures even question space for civil society as such.

Members and partners of the Human Rights House Network and the South Caucasus Network of Human Rights Defenders call upon political leaders in Georgia to stop slandering non-governmental organisations with unfounded accusations and suggestions that their work would harm the country. Since October 2013, public verbal attacks against human rights organisations by leading political figures in Georgia have increased. The situation is starting to resemble to an anti-civil society campaign.

In accordance to the special report of Public Defender of Georgia, Right to Adequate Housing, 9 805 families have willfully occupied 401 buildings in Tbilisi. Among them, 4 170 families have already legalized their flats, 5 635 families continue living in the buildings without any legal grounds. The majority of the citizens willfully living in these flats are socially vulnerable people. One part of the buildings, where citizens willfully live now, belongs to the state; another part has private owners. What does the government do to eradicate the problem of homeless people and to provide socially vulnerable citizens with adequate housing?

Trial into the criminal case against Azerbaijan human rights defender Rasul Jafarov was renewed in the Baku Court on Grave Crimes at 11:00 am on March 31; locals said during Tsarist Russia the building of the court was used as a stable for horses. Representatives of the EU Mission and US Embassy in Baku, of local and foreign nongovernmental organizations attended the hearing. Meydan TV, Radio Liberty/Free Europe and Voice of America were only media organizations to observe the trial.

The population of Tchiatura district blames the company Georgian Manganese of polluting the environment. The company is obtaining and processing manganese in the region. The district majoritarian MP in Tchiatura, Malkhaz Tsereteli, said in 2014 that the environment in Georgia was damaged for 327, 5 million lari. Out of that 324 million lari, which is 99% of the total damage, is in Tchiatura municipality.

Human Rights House Tbilisi and its member organizations condemn screening the photo-video footage of violence to the underage children. It is absolutely inadmissible to show the photo and video footage of the prison scenes on torture and other cruelties to the adults of the age from 12 to 18. If their participation is confirmed in the event, it can be qualified as violence against children. In addition to that, the fact of showing such violent footage can traumatize under age children and also, there is a risk of simulation of the violent act by them. The state shall take measures to protect children from the information that harms their well-being (which is guaranteed by the Article 17 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child).