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Voluntary organisations, institutions and individuals worldwide are welcome to nominate candidates for the 2011 Rafto Prize for Human Rights. The Rafto Prize, awarded in memory of Norwegian professor Thorolf Rafto, is awarded to an individual or organisation that embodies and upholds the principles of the Human Rights Charter through activism or engagement.

On January 28, 2011, in the framework of the 10th Session of the UN Human Rights Council’s Periodic Review, the Government of Georgia presented a national report on the current human rights situation. The UN Human Rights Council discussed the human rights situation in Georgia between the periods of 2006-2010 through interactive dialogue spanning three hours. Georgian authorities received 163 recommendations in total and immediately accepted 96 of them; refused 5 and discussions over 62 of the recommendations will take place over the next few months. After this time, the Government of Georgia will elaborate its final position.

Georgia is among those states where over the course of a year, many legislative changes are made. Some experts and members of the public have responded positively to the corresponding changes, and others have expressed disapproval. This article briefly discusses the amendments implemented in the Georgian legislation during 2009-2010.

On February 16, at 4:00 pm, the video-studio of the Human Rights Center HRIDC.TV will screen a new documentary entitled “The Disappeared”, which focuses on the puzzling disappearances of several individuals within Georgia. This film by Giorgi Janelidze highlights the lesser-known facts and aspects to these disappearances.

In June of 2005, a religious man Sadardin Palangov, “Gara Mola”, disappeared under strange circumstances in Sadakhlo village in the Marneuli district.

In October of 2009, ethnic Chechen, Deputy Culture Minister of the Chechen Republic Ichkeria (in exile) Said-Husein Tazbaev disappeared in Tbilisi.

Nothing is known about 17-year-old Giga Elizbarashvili, who disappeared in the Vachnadzeani village in Gurjaani district on September 17, 2010.
Vasil Tsiklauri, 14, disappeared from the village of Arkhiloskalo in Dedoplistskaro district on September 26, 2010.

The resulting investigation has not been unable to provide any resolution to the abovementioned incidents, nor has it been able shed light on the reasons behind these disappearances.

Currently, 907 people have disappeared in Georgia that is serious number for such a small country like Georgia.

The screening will take place at the Cinema House, in Dzmebi Kakabadzeebi Str. 2 Tbilisi.

The Human Rights Center

Where: Tbilisi, Dzmebi Kakabadzeebi Str. 2 Host: Cinema House

The Draft Law on Personal Data Protection adopted by the first hearing of Georgian Parliament contradicts its aim of strengthening data protection mechanisms and restricts the inviolability of private life. Moreover, it fails to reach a balance between the right of private life and freedom of information, thus violates Georgia’s international obligations.

A delegation from the Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) of the International Criminal Court today concluded a two-day visit to the Russian Federation.

On October 1st of 2010 the new Criminal Code of Georgia came into effect. One of its main the main new innovations is the Jury Institution. The Jury Court will operate until July 1st of 2013 in Tbilisi only, and will cover cases of deliberate murder under aggravating circumstances. After two years, it will cover all crimes envisaged with the suppression of liberty in the throughout the country. As of yet, the Jury has not heard any cases. It will be able to hear all cases that lie within its jurisdiction only if the defense and prosecution do not oppose it. It should be noted that when Georgia adopted the corresponding amendment to the Georgian Constitution, the Strasbourg Court invalidated the November 16th 2010 jury decision in the Taxquet vs Belgium case and accused the state of Belgium of violating Article 6 of the European Court (the right to a fair trial) and imposed payment of EUR 8,173.22 in favor of the plaintiff.

A new criminal procedure code came into force on the first of October 2010. The code was adopted in October of 2009 after several changes and amendments were made to it, including amendments made in September of 2010 (two weeks before coming into force of the code) as well as several ammendments were made even after the new code entered into force.