The Georgian Young Lawyers Association (GYLA) has been serving Georgia’s constitutional interests for over 31 years by protecting human rights and the rule of law. Since its establishment, GYLA human rights defenders have provided more than 1.3 million free legal aid and consultations. The organization provided free legal aid to people in 9 regions of Georgia: Tbilisi, Kutaisi, Batumi, Ozurgeti, Zugdidi, Gori, Dusheti, Rustavi and Telavi. As a result of this support, thousands of citizens have been able to effectively protect their rights both within the country and in international judicial bodies.

Today, civil society organizations are working in one of the most difficult environments in the history of independent Georgia. The unconstitutional legislative amendments adopted since 2024, aimed at restricting and/or completely eliminating civil society in Georgia, have significantly narrowed the space for human rights activities. In addition, the repressive environment has forced a significant number of civil society organizations to completely cease or drastically reduce their activities, while the real risk of criminal prosecution has established a regime of constant pressure on their work.

The existing environment has also affected the activities of GYLA. The organization has had to temporarily limit a number of important areas, including the programs that provided free legal assistance to citizens, which in fact means that thousands of citizens will no longer receive the support they used to receive annually through free daily personal, telephone or online consultations, document preparation and procedural representation.

In the conditions of the most difficult human rights situation, GYLA is temporarily switching to a crisis work mode and will continue to provide legal assistance only in the direction of strategic litigation. With 31 years of experience and a sense of responsibility to society, GYLA also continues to monitor the human rights situation, document violations, and respond to them in a public, clear, and reasoned manner.