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GYLA lawyers found out whereabouts of several missing

On 27 May 2011 GYLA Telavi office lawyers visited members of rally held in Telavi pre-trial detention centre. Conditions of detention in Telavi Isolator are critical and urgent measures are required.According to the detainees and the lawyers:-    The following detainees have been brutally beaten up by police officers: Andrei Gora, Murman Dumbadze and Aleko Chubinidze. It has to be noted that Murman Dumbadze was brutally beaten up when brought to Tbilisi Chief Police Office; -    They are denied access to medical treatment;-    For already 2 days they are not provided with any food;

2011-05-28 16:55 See more

Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association makes statement on infringement of the rights of detainees

The Ministry of Interior of Georgia has officially announced that as a result of dispersal of peaceful manifestation there are 90 detainees, some of them has already been sentenced to administrative detention and the others were fined.GYLA provides legal assistance to the detainees. GYLA lawyers until now are in search of certain individuals and/or are seeking information about identities of those detained in pre-trial detention centers. However, access to such information is strictly limited. GYLA lawyers are not allowed to visit the persons under their defense in the pre-trial detention centers.GYLA calls upon the Ministry of Interior to publish the list of those detained on 26 May 2011 as a result of dispersal of the demonstration taking place in front of the Parliament of Georgia in order to ensure that their rights to defense is fully respected. GYLA also calls upon the Ministry to establish the whereabouts of those missing since last night.GYLA would like to comment on court proceedings held in the Tbilisi City Court against the detainees. GYLA lawyers faced serious difficulties in getting information about those brought in the Tbilisi City Court. In the beginning GYLA lawyers were even refused to exercise their professional duties.Some of the detainees brought before the Court had visible physical injuries. However, judges usually did not pay attention on this – they never expressed interest in clarifying what were the circumstances of a person being injured.

2011-05-26 16:58 See more

Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association and Transparency International – Georgia make their preliminary statement about the dispersal of manifestation on 26 May

At about 00:12 on 26 May 2011 forces of the Ministry of Interior started dispersal of manifestation taking place on the Rustaveli Avenue. Even if the decision of dispersal of the demonstration had been legitimate, video footages disseminated through various media sources clearly show use of excessive force by police. This is in breach of the Georgian Law on Police. These facts of violence could not be left without legal assessment and adequate investigation.Relying on the information disseminated by media sources, dispersal of manifestation was followed by disproportionate use of force, beating of detained demonstrators, who did not show resistance towards police. On the basis of the information broadcasted, journalists were not allowed to perform their professional duties; some of them are injured and detained.On the basis of the above-mentioned, according to GYLA and TI-Georgia there are signs of excessive use of force and crimes committed by police. Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association would like to express its readiness to provide legal assistance to any detainee and are open to such requests made by their family members and/or relatives.

2011-05-25 23:23 See more

Statement by Local Non‐Governmental Organizations about the Resumption of Negotiations on Election Reform

Negotiations between the ruling and opposition parties about election reform have resumed. Both sides have agreed to individual consultations. We, as organizations observing negotiations between the ruling and opposition parties on election reform, welcome the decision by both sides to resume consultations. We are Transparency International– Georgia, International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy, Georgian Young Lawyer’s Association, and New Generation – New Initiative. We think, however, that changing the consultations to a closed format will decrease their transparency.

2011-05-13 13:35 See more

GYLA filed in the Constitutional Court against the Authority of Police to Stop and Frisk

 The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) filed in the Constitutional Court of Georgia on behalf of citizen Davit Shubladze with a request to repeal Article 91 (stop and frisk) of the law of Georgia on Police, as it contradicts Article 18 (right of liberty and integrity) and Article 20 (right to personal life) of the Constitution of Georgia.

2011-05-13 08:07 See more

GYLA Held a Presentation of Analysis of Court Practice Related to Freedom of Information

On April 28, at 12:00 pm at the Radisson Hotel the Georgian Young Lawyers Association held presentation of results of the research conducted in frames of the project ‘Promotion of Accountability and Transparency in Georgia’. The research covered analysis of practice of common and constitutional courts with regard to freedom of information in 2008-2010. The analysis entitled Freedom of Information in Georgia – Basic Trends of Court Practice reflects the freedom of information standards elaborated by the judicial authority in Georgia.

2011-05-02 07:10 See more

Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association Responds to the April 26, 2011 Comment of the Ministry of Justice

Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association responds to the comment of the Ministry of Justice of Georgia concerning the ECHR’s ruling into the case of Enukidze v Georgia and considers that the state authorities of Georgia should adequately evaluate the noted ruling of the Court and take it into consideration.

2011-04-29 09:40 See more

GYLA Awarded Winners of Competition of Paintings and Plays

On April 21, at 14:00 in Gori, hotel Victoria, U.S. Ambassador to Georgia John Bass and the Georgian Young Lawyers Association Chairperson Tamar Chugoshvili awarded winners of a competition of paintings and plays.

2011-04-29 08:45 See more

The Ministry of Interior Affairs and Otar Gvenetadze Undertook an Obligation to Pay for Pecuniary Damages to a Citizen under the Legal Protection of GYLA

Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association was providing legal assistance to a citizen, Eka Matiashvili who was assaulted by an officer of the Ministry of Interior Affairs, Otar Gvenetadze on January 3, 2011, during the crackdown of veterans’ rally. With GYLA’s assistance Eka Matiashvili filed a claim in Tbilisi City Court for pecuniary damages. The lawsuit was filed against the Ministry of Interior Affairs and personally Otar Gvenetadze. The plaintiff claimed GEL 10 000 for pecuniary damages.

2011-04-29 07:01 See more

Importance of the ECHR’s Ruling in the case of Enukidze and Girgvliani v Georgia

 On April 26, 2011, the ECHR ruled in the case of Enukidze and Girgvliani v Georgia. The ruling contains a number of significant and important messages for the investigative authorities of Georgia. Specifically, the ruling directly lays out how investigation of crimes that has been allegedly committed by state officials, in order to ensure that investigation is in full compliance with provisions of Article 2 (effective investigation) of the Convention. In the case of Enukidze and Girgvliani v Georgia the ECHR found that there had been violation of Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights, as the case of kidnapping and death of Sandro Girgvliani manifestly lacked the requisite independence, impartiality, objectivity and thoroughness.

2011-04-29 06:44 See more