Audio recording of ex-prosecutor details government corruption, sparks call for snap election
Mirza Subeliani. (1tv.ge) TBILISI, DFWatch--A one and a half hour long secret audio recording aired by an opposition TV channel has caused an outcry in Georgia, two weeks ahead of the presidential election. The situation has gone so far that the opposition has started talking about snap elections for parliament. "In the first round [of the presidential elections] we must defeat the armed [...]
Gali residents take up cigarette smuggling after failed harvest
Enguri Bridge. (DFWatch.) TBILISI, DFWatch--The spread of the deadly brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) has caused such devastation of orchards that locals have been forced to return to illegal businesses, such as smuggling [...]
Gali residents take up cigarette smuggling after failed harvest #Abkhazia #Georgia #BMSB #pest #smuggling #contraband https://t.co/BoK71BerDn
Video: #Georgia's neo-#Nazi at the court greets his followers with a gesture resembling Hitler salute, being reciprocated. https://t.co/NUxwmtpEQ0 via @YouTube
Audio recording of ex-prosecutor details government corruption, sparks call for snap election in #Georgia https://t.co/vJHcQ8P3kG
News
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 [...]
37 y/o woman released by South Ossetia, says she was mistreated during apprehension
Maia Otinashvili is being met by relatives and family members at the village of Ergneti. (Sputnik Ossetia.) TBILISI, DFWatch--A Georgian woman released Tuesday by Tskhinvali says he was physically abused when she was [...]
‘Traitor!’ ‘Fascist!’ Accusations fly in Georgian election campaign
Speaker of Parliament Irakli Kobakhidze. (Facebook.) TBILISI, DFWatch--Nika Gvaramia, head of the opposition TV channel Rustavi 2, calls the ruling party-backed presidential contender a ‘traitor’. GD party secretary Irakli Kobakhidze responds by calling [...]
Russia does not rule out ‘military measures’ against Georgia in new threats over Tbilisi biolab
The Lugar Center in Tbilisi. (NCDC.) TBILISI, DFWatch--Russia launched new threats and accusation against Georgia on Thursday over a US-funded laboratory in Tbilisi, warning that even ‘military measures’ are not ruled out. The [...]
South Ossetia presents video to show Georgian woman detainee is treated well after family says she was beaten
TBILISI, DFWatch--Breakaway authorities in Tskhinvali have released a video supposed to show that a Georgian woman is being treated well in detention. Maia Otinashvili (37) was seized by armed, masked men on September 29 in [...]
Owner of Georgian opposition TV channel Iberia claims ex-PM Ivanishvili extorted him for USD 4 mill
Zaza Okuashvili sparked a public outcry by accusing former PM Bidzina Ivanishvili of extortion. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch--The owner of the Georgian opposition-leaning TV channel Iberia blames the billionaire and former Prime Minister Bidzina [...]
Georgian schools ordered to take part in Abkhazia’s ‘Victory Day’
(Gal Info.) GALI, DFWatch--On September 30, the de facto government of Abkhazia celebrates Victory Day, commemorating victory in the 1992-93 war. Among the planned events will be a procession by the initiative group [...]
Georgia’s former PM joins EBRD as consultant
Giorgi Kvirikashvili, former Georgian prime minister. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch--Georgia’s former prime minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili has embarked on a new job as a consultant at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The [...]
School pupils in Gali prohibited from attending NGO events
GALI, DFWatch–The deputy head of administration in Gali district has carried out an inspection of the schools in this predominantly Georgian district of breakaway Abkhazia and ordered principals not to let […]
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 […]
Georgia isn’t implementing law it passed in return for visa-free travel to Europe
Thousands of Orthodox Christians attacked gay rights activists in Tbilisi on May 17, 2013. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia passed a law against discrimination three years ago, and in return the European Union gave its citizens visa-free travel to Europe. But the local human rights watchdog now says the anti-discrimination law is not being fully implemented. […]
Georgians celebrate start of visa-free travel to Europe
From left to right: PM Giorgi Kvirikashvili, Irakli Kobakhidze, Mamuka Mdinaradze, Lasha Abashidze. (Interpressnews.) (Interpressnews.) (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–There were celebrations in the capital Tbilisi on Monday as Georgian nationals may travel without a visa to Europe’s vast borderless Schengen area from March 28. Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili was among government officials who attended a two […]
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
NGO coalition in Georgia proposes new procedure for selecting chief prosecutor
DFWatch Editor-in-Chief Lasha Tughushi is one of the authors of the bill. Behind him, co-author Natia Kuprashvili. TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s largest NGO coalition proposes an overhaul of the existing system for selecting a chief prosecutor in order to minimize the risk that one party takes the decision unilaterally. The proposed bill comes in the wake of a two-week-long series of rallies in Tbilisi […]
CSOs Seek Involvement in Public Defender’s Selection Process
We would like to respond to the statements related to the selection of Georgian Public Defender and call on the Parliament of Georgia to ensure civil society participation in the [...]
Open Society criticizes Hungary’s government for anti-NGO law
Open Society Foundations criticizes the Hungarian government and accuses it of trying to silence academic freedom by proposing a law against internationally funded NGOs, which will make it ‘impossible’ for the Central European University in Budapest to operate. […]