DFWatch staff 
A group of independent lawyers and legal experts has submitted a draft resolution in the parliament of Georgia in which they ask for condemnation of what they dub as “clan-based” management of the country’s judiciary. “Through a special decree, the Parliament should create a commission to probe the state of judiciary, which shall include the … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–Gay rights activists in Georgia are defying threats from conservative groups and lack of police protection as organizers opt for a street rally during Tbilisi Pride. The rally is scheduled for the concluding day of Tbilisi Pride, despite continuous threats by radical groups and a decision by the police to absolve themselves of responsibility … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–Civil society organizations in Georgia are concerned over the police stance toward the Tbilisi Pride event in two weeks’ time and call upon law enforcers to “take adequate measures to secure security of participants in peaceful assembly”. “It’s the State’s obligation to ensure timely and adequate protection [of Tbilisi Pride participants] from possible violence,” … Read more
AKHALGORI, DFWatch–Tskhinvali plans to close some of its public schools from due to lack of pupils. The list includes two Georgian schools. One the schools to shut its doors from the 2019-2020 school year is located in the village of Akhmaji in the Akhalgori district (Leningor in Ossetian), the second one is in the village … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree to restore the citizenship of Georgian politician Mikheil Saakashvili on Tuesday. Invigorated by the news of his restored Ukrainian citizenship, Saakashvili said he would return to Ukraine on Wednesday. “From Kiev I’ll be much closer to Tbilisi […] Ivanishvili will feel my hot breath to his neck,” … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–A notorious Georgian neo-Nazi was found guilty and sentenced to three and a half years in jail by a Tbilisi court on Friday. Giorgi Chelidze, the head of self-described “fascist” group “Georgian (National) Unity”, was convicted of illegally purchasing and storing firearms. He was detained in September, 2018, and police said they found a … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–The opposition in breakaway Abkhazia ended their rally in front of parliament building in Sokhumi on Tuesday, after reaching a compromise with de facto authorities. The sides have agreed to postpone the presidential elections to August 26. The de facto parliament earlier decided to hold elections in July, while the opposition had demanded to … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–The opposition in Abkhazia rallied in front of the parliament building in Sokhumi Tuesday for the second day, vowing not to stop it until parliament postpones the presidential elections until fall due to the suspected poisoning of their leader. Overnight, opposition activists temporarily blocked the central highway at two locations north and south of … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–The ruling Georgian Dream party is leading in all of Sunday’s by-elections, including the symbolically important Zugdidi mayoral race. But the vote was marred by numerous controversies, as the opposition claims the elections have been massively rigged. Sandra Roelofs, the wife of Georgia’s ex-President Mikheil Saakashvili and a candidate for Zugdidi mayor, even says … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–Tensions are running high in Georgia ahead of the May 19 by-election in Zugdidi, a town about 350km west of Tbilisi, with almost daily scuffles outside the office of the Local Election Commission. Both the governing party and the opposition accuse each other of attempting to rig the election to replace the former mayor, … Read more