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November 21, 2014

Zestaponi awaiting ecological disaster

The population in Zestaponi protest over the polluted environment and calls on the government to react on this issue. The ecological problems in Zestaponi were caused by throwing remains of natural deposit in the territory of an old agricultural market. According to the local healthcare agency the number of cancer diseases have increased because of this pollution. On June 15, 2013 local authorities decided to demolish the old market in Zestaponi and move it to another place. More than 200 private owners lost their source for everyday income with this unexpected decision of the local government. After the deconstruction, huge amount of remains of natural deposit, buried in the territory during soviet time, was removed from the ground. The remains were recycled and only radiation garbage was left. Locals protest both the demolished infrastructure and the pollution of the environment. According to the local healthcare agency, the number of cancer diseases is drastically increasing every year.

November 13, 2014

Controversy in the village Mokhe on religious grounds

There is a conflict between Muslim and Orthodox Georgians in the village Mokhe in Adigeni district. The reason for the conflict is a half-ruined building, where the local administration planned to open a library. Muslims claimed it was a mosque in the past, and that if a library starts functioning there it will insult their religious feelings. The building was being reconstructed at the same time as a protest rally of the local population was finding place, which finally resulted in the police arresting several protesters. The monitoring group of the Public Defender’s Office reported that the patrol police officers exceeded their power when detaining the participants of this peaceful demonstration.

November 7, 2014

Domestic violence increased in Georgia

According to official data from the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia [MIA], 77 incidents of physical and 122 incidents of psychological violence in families were observed from January to June 2014 in Georgia. About 30 women were killed as a result of domestic violence the last year.

November 3, 2014

Flats sold based on inner persuasion

The construction of the residential blocks # 204 and 205 started in Zgvisubani micro district II close to Tbilisi Sea in 1990s. From 2003 homeless people started to occupy spaces in the semi-constructed blocks. The inhabitants claim they renovated the spaces with their own resources before 2007 and created there a minimum of living conditions. In 2006 the buildings were registered as a state property and assigned to the Tbilisi City Hall in 2008; the latter assigned the building to Metromsheni. Nevertheless, the dispute about the flats in the blocks is still going on. Since 2007 there have been several attempts of eviction of the homeless people from the blocks. Last notification about planned eviction was sent to the inhabitants on October 14, 2014. 67 families will not leave the flats. They renovated the flats with their own resources and plan to struggle to keep them.

October 28, 2014

Address by Human Rights House Tbilisi about Recent Developments in Mokhe Village

On October 23, mobile group of human rights defenders from Human Rights House Tbilisi (HRHT) paid visit to the Mokhe village in Adigeni municipality to study situation on the place. The organization is concerned about the controversy between local Muslims and Orthodox people and calls on the government to reach compromise between conflicting parties and resolve the tense situation.

October 17, 2014

World Mental Health Day in the Mental Health House

Four-storied building seemed almost empty; patients were walking around like ghosts. Some of them asked for cigarette, others for matches, some of them were eager to speak with strangers; several patients who preferred to stay alone under the autumn sun. In short, life continues in the facility as much as it is possible with its purpose. There is one question: what will happen if the institution is located in any city of Europe instead Tbilisi suburb? We learned that patients have many problems alongside legal complaints. Mostly they complain about living conditions.

October 16, 2014

Scene of religious controversy in Kobuleti

On September 10, Adjara TV-company reported about the incident about the boarding school of Muslim community in Lermontov Street in Kobuleti; Orthodox people protested opening of the school by hammering a pig-head on the door of the school. The incident became highly resonant. During several days Georgian media actively reported about the incident and follow-up events; society saw real threat of religious conflict in the fact.

October 10, 2014

Welded door for disabled children

Archangel Michael Medical-Pedagogical School-Kindergarten in Borjomi street, Tbilisi was founded in 1994. According to the website of the education institution, it aims to create good environment for the education, grow up and development of children, adults and youth with physical and intellectual disabilities for their further integration into society.

October 2, 2014

Life in the villages of conflict affected area

Villages – Plavi, Plavismani and Kveshi are located near the ABL, adjacent to the occupied South Ossetia. The road finishes with wire-fence 150 meters away from the Georgian blockpost. The 150 meter distance is a risky zone, where person can be kidnapped and taken to Tskhinvali for alleged “violation of the border” and keep you in prison before paying 2 000 Russian rubles. De-facto authority of South Ossetia calls it “administrative fine.” Nobody is secured from the so-called “blind shooting” in the direction of the Georgia controlled area from the 150-meter zone.