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Statement of Civil Society Organizations about Oppression from Government
We are concerned about the oppression on civil society organizations. Crack-down on the part of CSOs, who aim to defend democratic values, promote freedom and equality as well as creation of European systems of the governance, has become particularly active lately.
OSGF open letter on human rights defenders in Georgia
Former Prime Minister statement not in line with the practice of democratic governance.
IDPs residing in Tskaltubo request new accommodations
Internally displaced people from the occupied territories residing in the former buildings of the sanatoriums Friendship and Metallurgist in Tskaltubo district request new accommodations – the buildings of the former sanatoriums are in poor conditions. The Ministry of IDPs from the Occupied Territories, Accommodation and Refugees offered the IDPs to resettle in other regions of Georgia. Some of the IDPs do not want to leave Tskaltubo, saying they have buried their relatives there and have lived in the district for a long time.
Problems regarding mental health in Georgia
Most of the people with mental disorders are isolated from the society. For complete recovery they need psycho-social rehabilitation and integration in the society; nevertheless the state does not do anything in this direction. According to official information, only 1% of the funds allocated for mental health care are spent on the rehabilitation programs. Beneficiaries of the Center believe the allocated funds are not enough for their social integration.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.