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The right to be a human rights defender has been reinforced by the resolution adopted by consensus at the Human Rights Council. The resolution focuses on legislation affecting, restricting and criminalising the work and activities of human rights defenders.

Ministry of Justice introduced a new Labor Code of Georgia where substantial amendments are made. New amendments promote protection of employees’ rights and prevent them from illegal dissmisals from work. Though, Ministry of Justice of Georgia did not fully consider some fundamental recommendations of NGOs and Trade Unions while working on the draft. In particular, a new draft Labor Code does not duly envisage women’s labor rights, employment of people with disabilities and their labor rights.

In September 2012, Georgia was rocked by a massive prison scandal when video was broadcasted showing prison staff abusing, torturing and sexually molesting prisoners. The scandal had a great impact on the political climate in the country, in particular because over the years a lot of investments had been made in the penitentiary system. However, the real scope of the problem became only clear later that year and new facts are still being revealed every day.

European Court of Human Rights passed guilty verdicts on Georgian state in three cases. They are: “Jashi vs Georgia,” “Jeladze vs Georgia” and “Baisuev and Anzorov vs Georgia.” In the first two cases the ECHR concluded violation of the Article III of the European Convention on Human Rights (torture, inhuman and degrading treatment) and violation of the Article V Part 2 of the Convention (right to liberty and security). All three cases were sent to the European Court of Human Rights by Human Rights House Tbilisi member local nongovernmental organization Article 42 of the Constitution.

After the Parliamentary Election of October 1, 2012 people in Georgia already expected that several senior officials of the previous government would be placed behind bars. One of the main pre-election promises of winning political coalition Georgian Dream was to investigate corruption and torture crimes allegedly committed by former senior governmental officials and to hold them responsible for those crimes. A series of detainments started on November 6 with the detention of Bacho Akhalaia, the former minister of interior. After the Parliamentary Elections of October 2012, about 25 former senior officials were detained under various charges in Georgia.

Parliament of Georgia elected new ombudsman Ucha Nanuashvili on December 7th by 82 votes against 18. Ucha Nanuashvili has been heading a local NGO Human Rights Center for years. Recently he has been chosen as a chairman of board of the Human Rights House Tbilisi. HRHT interviewed Ucha Nanuashvili.

Journalist Anuna Bukia, an IDP from Sokhumi, Abkhazia, thinks it is difficult to be an IDP in Georgia not only because of social-economic factors but because of negative approach of the Georgian society towards internally displaced people.

On Monday, December 10, the South Caucasus Network of Human Rights Defenders held a press-conference with regard to International Human Rights Day and presented report on the situation of human rights defenders in Georgia. The report is published as part of a joint report of South Caucasus Network of Human Rights Defenders, which covers situation of human rights defenders in Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Appeal Statement of Nongovernmental Organizations to Parliament of Georgia to Nominate Mr. Ucha Nanuashvili on the position of Public Defender of Georgia