Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association expresses a concern over the July 20-21 incidents in Zugdidi and Batumi and calls on all parties of political process to say no to violence. According to media reports, on July 29 there was an attempt to disrupt an event of the political union United National Movement (UNM) on July 20 in Zugdidi. The scheduled event was held amid a protest rally. Party leaders and delegates were verbally abused by citizens that had assembled outside, throwing rocks and bottles at them. One of the journalists was injured during the incident. The same day it was also reported that local population had been mobilized at the rally by local self-government authorities. Another one of the UNM’s primaries was held amid confrontation in Batumi on July 21.
2013-07-22 05:20 See moreOn July 4, 2013, the Government of Georgia submitted to the parliament of Georgia draft amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code, postponing the date for enactment of new procedures for witness examination to December 1, 2014. Until then, old procedures envisaged by the 1998 Criminal Procedure Code will apply.
2013-07-15 03:36 See moreLawyer from GYLA’s office in Tbilisi was providing legal aid to defendants Giorgi and Lasha Sozashvili in criminal proceedings concluded on July 12, 2013, by the verdict of not guilty delivered by Tbilisi City Court. The defendants were charged with crime envisaged by para.2, Article 353 of the Criminal Code of Georgia – resisting a police officer or any other government representative to impede the protection of public order or terminate or change his/her activity, as well as coercing thereof into an explicitly unlawful action, perpetrated under violence or threat of violence, perpetrated by a group.
2013-07-12 04:07 See moreGeorgian Young Lawyers’ Association believes that investigation into the death of Mikautadze should immediately be transferred to investigators of the office of the prosecutor.
2013-07-11 03:35 See moreIn response to the Prime Minister’s statement about Vladimer Bedukadze’s plea agreement, GYLA would like to state the following: we agree with the Prime Minister saying that relieving a perpetrator of torture completely from criminal liability is unacceptable. Further, we believe that modification of court’s verdict in Vladimer Bedukadze’s case is not viable from legal point of view.
2013-07-09 07:31 See moreWe issue this statement in response to the recent controversy about Akhaltsikhe District Court, involving proceedings brought against former chief of the Interior Ministry’s Borjomi District Division and other individuals. The trial concluded with the court delivering verdict of not guilty on July 3. Following the court’s verdict the office of the chief prosecutor of Georgia released a statement about gravity and contents of charges brought against these individuals. The office of the prosecutor also alleged unjustified communication of presiding judge with prosecutor. The Supreme Court responded to the office of the prosecutor, rejecting the allegations, saying that there was no improper communication whatsoever between the judge and the prosecutor. On July 5 a protest rally was held outside the office of the district court, part of which grew into illegal acts. According to the MIA’s statement, subsequent probe has been launched.
2013-07-08 04:22 See moreAs it has come to light, the Ministry of Interior Affairs of Georgia (MIA) is maintaining a video archive where it keeps secretly recorded videos of personal lives in addition to other recordings. Even though officials have made statements urging the MIA to destroy the archive, the material remains within the Ministry. In view of high public interest and controversy, we, the below signatories deem it important to express legally correct position about the issue.
2013-07-05 08:15 See moreGYLA has released a statement about draft constitutional amendments proposed by 82 MPs, expressing its opinion about the legal draft. First and foremost, we a reconvened that the MPs have elaborated the draft without the involvement of public stakeholders. Elaboration of constitutional amendments in a closed format discourages public involvement which we deem necessary in the process of amending the supreme law of the country. GYLA welcomes part of the proposed amendments that strips the Prime Minister off the power to adopt a law without parliamentary consent. According to the 2010 amendments set to come into force (provided they are not modified) following the 2013 presidential elections, the Prime Minister will have the right to establish a linkage between the government’s vote of confidence and the draft submitted to the parliament. Declaring no confidence in government is a complicated process. Failure of the parliament’s vote of no confidence will automatically result in adoption of the legal draft, even if it does not gain any support of the parliament at all.
2013-07-05 07:30 See moreGeorgian Young Lawyers’ Association started monitoring of pre-election period for the upcoming 2013 presidential elections on July 1, 2013, by means of its regional offices in the following seven regions of Georgia: Adjara, Guria, Imereti, Shida Kartli, Kvemo Kartli, Kakheti, Mtskheta-Mtianeti and Tbilisi.
2013-07-04 02:33 See moreOn July 1, 2013, the president of Georgia set the date for the upcoming presidential election. According to the President’s Administration first announced October 27 as the date of the presidential elections and later it changed the date to October 31 under the presidential decree.
2013-07-03 02:28 See more