The International Day in Support of Victims of Torture is celebrated on June 26. Every year GYLA celebrates the day with various different activities. This year Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association facilitated a lecture/discussions at Ivane Javakhishvili State University in Tbilisi addressing the following issues:
2013-06-26 11:08 See moreIn view of the high public interest, we deem it important to explain the reasons why we refused to watch the footage of torture and inhumane treatment shown yesterday at the Ministry of Internal Affairs. First and foremost, we would like to note that recent years have been marked with systematic violations of human rights by subjecting individuals to the most cruel and degrading violence. By providing access to videos of torture and inhumane treatment at the penitentiary system and the secretly recorded footage of personal lives, public became even more conscious of the cruelty and the scale of violence perpetrated for years by the state against individuals, without any legal repercussions. In a number of cases torture and inhumane treatment was committed to force individuals into confessing gravest crimes and to hold them liable.
2013-06-21 03:51 See moreOn June 18 mass media released draft conclusion of the Human Rights and Civil Integration Committee of the Parliament in terms of the May 17 developments. Although disseminated document is a draft and the Committee has not voted for the final version we consider decisive to highlight that certain legal assessments of the draft lack reasoning and are incompatible with the standards enshrined in the Constitution and the European Convention of Human Rights. It should be noted that similar assessments were dominant in public discussions of the May 17 event. In view of this, for shifting these debates in correct legislative aspect, it is necessary to submit reasoned answers. Furthermore, we think that our opinions will have positive effect on the final content of the Parliament’s conclusion.
2013-06-19 05:08 See moreOn June 19 GYLA held a presentation of a research the Practice of Providing Bonuses in Public Service in Georgia and Abroad. While working on the research GYLA applied to Georgian ministries, the Government Chancellery of Georgia, the Presidential Administration and the Parliament of Georgia, requesting access to public information about applicable legal acts that regulate procedures for awarding bonuses within individual agencies, as well as information about the amount provided in bonuses from October 1, 212 to April 1, 2013 (to January 1, 2013 in case of the parliament).
2013-06-19 02:29 See moreSecond round of voting to elect members of the High Council of Justice (HCoJ) and the disciplinary board is scheduled to be held during today’s plenary session of the parliament where the following 12 shortlisted candidates will participate: Gocha Mamulashvili, Vakhtang Tordia, Nino Bakakuri, Eva Gotsiridze, Ekaterine Gasitashvili, Kakhaber Sopromadze, Mamuka Songhulashvili, Levan Khetsuriani, Gia Meparishvili, Madi Chantladze, Roin Migirauli and Davit Sualkvelidze, and four candidates for disciplinary board membership: Ketevan Bekauri, Nino Nishnianidze, Merab Chikovani and Giorgi Turazashvili.
2013-06-14 04:19 See moreInternational Society for Fair Elections and Democracy, Transparency International – Georgia and Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association urge the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia (MES) to ensure holding of competitions for recruitment of heads of Education Resource Centers in a fair, equal and transparent environment.
2013-06-14 03:21 See moreTomorrow, on June 14, civil society representatives will hold a manifestation to protest against acts of interference with religious practice by the local Muslim population in the village of Samtatskaro, Dedoplistskaro District over the last three weeks, and to show their support for tolerance and rights of religious minority.
2013-06-13 07:36 See moreThe trials of the participants of students’ manifestation on the International Workers’ Day, who were arrested on May 1, 2013 and charged with administrative offences, concluded in Tbilisi City Court. The police arrested participants after they relocated to Rustaveli Avenue 8-10 minutes before the rally ended. The Interior Ministry charged 37 protesters with administrative offences and submitted them to the court. GYLA defended 32 of the protesters in court. Some of the First Instance Court’s rulings has been appealed in the Appellate Court, which has not yet delivered its final decisions. Therefore, the present analysis covers results of the first instance court trials.
2013-06-13 04:17 See moreOn June 5, 2013, the Prevention and Monitoring Department of the Public Defender’s office in cooperation with Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association carried out monitoring of the penitentiary establishment N9 where former law enforcement officers and ex-officials are held. We welcome the fact that virtually all prisoners have testified to normal treatment in prison; they have also stated that administration and employees of the penitentiary facility are trying their best to fulfill their legitimate demands. The monitoring has revealed that defendants/convicts do not have access to TV, except for some inmates including Bachana Akhalaia. It was basically the key issue that defendants/convicts expressed their concern about.
2013-06-12 08:16 See moreGeorgian Young Lawyers’ Association reacts to the draft law initiated by the Government of Georgia for amending the law of Georgia on Higher Education. First and foremost, we would like to highlight procedural problems related to submission of the draft law to the parliament and its consideration. We believe that amendments of similar important should not have been initiated without consulting with stakeholders, including academic personnel of higher education institutions; further, the decision of expedited review of the draft law made by the parliament of Georgia is utterly unacceptable. As of now, no substantiation whatsoever has been cited to illustrate the necessity of making the decision in expedited manner. Under the circumstances, expedited review and adoption of the proposed draft will prove damaging to public interests as it will exclude any public involvement and participation in the process of designing the law.
2013-06-12 08:11 See more