TBILISI, DFWatch–Authorities in France are concerned over a sharp increase in asylum requests by Georgian and Albanian citizens, according to the influential French daily newspaper Le Figaro. The paper based its report on information from the French Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons (OFPRA). In the first four months of 2019, asylum … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–Journalists and civic activists gathered in front of Russia’s diplomatic representation in Tbilisi on Saturday to protest the prosecution of Russian investigative journalist Ivan Golunov. “Even though we are not in Russia, but in Georgia, we decided that we can and must do something[…] The repressive measures that have been taken recently in Russia, … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–The ruling party in breakaway South Ossetia looked set to win the elections for de facto parliament with 35 percent of votes after 95 percent of votes had been counted Monday evening. But United Ossetia’s margin of victory is well below the last election, in 2014, when it garnered almost 45 percent. The opposition … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–Abkhazia’s breakaway authorities claim opposition leader Aslan Bzhania’s sudden illness is due to ordinary food intoxication, not deliberate poisoning. Sokhumi thus rejects conclusions by a laboratory in Munich, which found earlier that samples from the leading opposition contender contained high levels of lead and cadmium. De facto deputy prosecutor general, Epshsou Kakulia, told 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