Georgia’s Public Defender says representatives are threatened by Soviet-style inmate leaders
Nino Lomjaria. (ombudsman.ge) TBILISI, DFWatch--Penitentiary authorities in Georgia have unleashed “prisoners managed by the administration” to systematically carry out “verbal attacks, threats and aggression” against representatives of the Public Defender's Office, Ombudswoman Nino Lomjaria said on Wednesday. The PDO earlier released a report claiming the management model of semi-open prisons was based on an informal hierarchy of prisoners, where the so-called "prison watchers" are allowed [...]
Georgian opposition party Citizens to break off parliament boycott if government promises election reform
TBILISI, DFWatch--The Georgian opposition’s boycott of parliament after the October 31 election is in doubt, after one of the parties indicated they will break off the boycott. Aleko Elisashvili, leader of the Citizens party, said [...]
News
Georgia to lift some Covid-19 restrictions after drop in number of infections
Amiran Gamkrelidze. (1tv.ge.) TBILISI, DFWatch--Georgia plans to gradually lift Covid-19 related restrictions as the most recent statistics show a reduction both in new cases and the number of deaths, the country's chief epidemiologist Amiran Gamkrelidze [...]
42-year-old Irakli Kobakhidze takes over reins of Georgia’s ruling party as billionaire founder steps down
Former party secretary Irakli Kobakhidze was "unanimously" elected as new leader of Georgian Dream. TBILISI, DFWatch--Georgia’s ruling party on Saturday elected former party secretary Irakli Kobakhidze as new chairman, after its billionaire founder stepped down. [...]
Novosibirsk Opera terminates contract with wife of former leader of Georgian opposition party UNM
Nino Ananiashvili. TBILISI, DFWatch--A Russian theater in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk, which was supposed to be headed by the wife of a prominent Georgian opposition politician, has terminated its contract with her. Novosibirsk Opera [...]
Wildfires now threatening Gagra, the former Soviet holiday resort north in Abkhazia
Wildfires in the hills above Gagra. (Facebook.) TBILISI, DFWatch--A number of wildfires have been put out in the Gali district of Abkhazia but the fires have now moved further north, threatening Gagra, an iconic holiday [...]
Wildfires threatening populated areas in Gali, Abkhazia
https://www.facebook.com/nona.khasaia.5/videos/1123278944771617/ Fire in the village Zemo Barghebi published by a local resident at about 2 pm. GALI, DFWatch--Wildfires tore through several villages here in the Gali district of Abkhazia on Tuesday. The fires broke out [...]
Georgia shuts down again due to Covid-19, brings back nightly curfew
TBILISI, DFWatch--Georgia on Sunday re-introduced strict Covid-19 restrictions that will last until January 15. The rationale behind the measures adopted by the government in November was to reduce people’s mobility amid a worrying rise in [...]
Georgia’s main electricity provider announces price hike in midst of pandemic
TBILISI, DFWatch--At the end of a difficult year with families struggling to get through a pandemic, Georgia’s largest electricity provider announced a price hike that risks causing major discontent. On Monday, the CEO of Energo-Pro [...]
Georgia’s ruling party softens stance on two controversial bills severely limiting oppposition parties
Opposition parties holding a joint briefing after the October 31 elections. (On.ge) TBILISI, DFWatch--Facing growing criticism from the West, Georgian Dream seems to soften its strict stance towards the opposition. Although parliament on Wednesday adopted [...]
Volunteer teacher bringing hope to university entrants remotely from locked down Gali
Rusudan Samushia. (Facebook.) GALI, DFWatch--Classes have been suspended in public schools in Abkhazia as in the rest of Georgia because of the pandemic, and also here in Gali, local teachers try their best to assist [...]
Such campaigns against American NGOs are being run out of the Kremlin: IRI president
Daniel Twining (Twitter). “I am a little surprised to be talking about this in the context of Georgia, because such a campaign against American NGOs is being run out of the Kremlin […] [...]
Europe and Georgia
PACE to discuss dismissing its president in October
PACE President Pedro Agramunt. (Council of Europe.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) will discuss a proposal to dismiss its chairperson in early October after a motion was tabled on Friday. The motion to dismiss PACE President Pedro Agramunt was backed by 158 out of the 636 member […]
Opinion
Minorities
Groups say 25-year old’s fatal stabbing in Tbilisi was motivated by xenophobia
Vitali Safarov (Facebook). TBILISI, DFWatch--A young human rights activist who was stabbed to death in Tbilisi nearly two weeks ago was murdered by members of a neo-Nazi group, Georgian civic activists say. Vitali [...]
NGO News
Georgian NGOs condemn Belarusian elections, violence against peaceful demonstrations
A coalition which unites over 180 Georgian NGOs harshly criticizes violence of Belarusian authorities against peaceful citizens in the wake of presidential elections held on August 9, and urges Georgian [...]
Companies related to GD donors receive tens of millions of public funds: Report
GD president Bidzina Ivanishvili (left) and speaker of parliament Archil Talakvadze. (Facebook.) Georgia’s ruling party received almost half of revenues totally got by all parties in 2019, whilst [...]
Georgian NGOs call on government to immediately move toward proportional electoral system
Georgia’s major NGOs call upon the government to “fulfil the promise made to the public and move to a proportional electoral system”, which will be assumed as its readiness to [...]