Georgian Democracy Initiative (GDI) is an independent, non-governmental, non-profit-making organization dedicated to research, analysis, and education to advance country’s democratic development and Euro-Atlantic integration.
GDI is committed to defending human rights, expanding inclusive society and promoting tolerance, strengthening democratic reforms and advancing the rule of law, enhancing transparency and accountability of public institutions. GDI pursues these ideals through monitoring, open debate, fact-based research and analysis of policy options to address the challenges facing Georgia.
The organization brings together high level professionals with an extensive record of research, advocacy and monitoring work in the key areas of GDI operation. The expertise, experience, impartiality and credibility of GDI’s team position the organization to be on the frontlines of Georgia’s most critical policy debates on human rights and democratic development.
Graduated in International and European Public Law (LLM) from the Erasmus University Rotterdam (Netherlands, NUFFIC Scholarship), International Public Law (LLM) from Caucasus University, and Law from Tbilisi State University.
She is managing the Rule of Law Program at Georgian Democracy Initiative (GDI), which was chairing the Coalition for an Independent and Transparent Judiciary for more than 2 years before March 2021. She is involved in various projects implemented by GDI, and her main area of expertise includes the Justice sector and rule of law. Previously she worked in NGO – Georgia’s Reforms Associates (GRASS) and took part in the preparation of the UPR shadow report regarding minority rights. From 2008 – 2013 she also worked as a legal advisor at the High Council of Justice of Georgia. She participated in various international seminars, conferences, and fellowships. Most recently participated in Professional Fellows Program (PFP) and spent her fellowship in Washington DC with Human Rights Campaign (HRC).
David Jandieri is a lawyer with numerous years of professional experience in public and private sectors. In 2012-2013, he held the position of First Deputy Minister of Justice of Georgia.
David Jandieri is a successful lawyer at the European Court of Human Rights. He was the appellant's lawyer in the well-known cases discussed in the Strasbourg court - "Enukidze and Girgvliani v. Georgia", as well as in the so-called "Case of century" otherwise known and "The Cyanide Case".
David Jandieri graduated from the University of Strasbourg with a Master's degree in European Law and Studies. He has Doctoral degree in International Law from Tbilisi State University. He is a professor at the Georgian Institute of Public Affairs (GIPA).
Rapiel Kakabadze - born in 14 November, 1997 in Tbilisi. 2003-2014 studied in Tbilisi Classical Gymnasium. In 2019 he graduated from Free University, Tbilisi - School of Law. From 2021 he is a magister-level student at Ilia State University. Rapiel joined our team in 2018 and currently working as a lawyer at the Rule of Law Program.
Born in 1998. In 2020, graduated with a bachelor's degree from the Law School of the Free University of Tbilisi. Studying master's program at Ilia State University - Political Sciences. Has participated in various competitions.
Salome Gomarteli is a lawyer by profession. She graduated from Law School of Free University of Tbilisi in 2021 (took 3rd place in her cohort). Salome is the winner of various national and international law competitions (including Jessup national rounds, Jean-Pictet Competition). She has participated in human rights summer schools, trainings, courses and workshops. Salome joined the Civil and Political Rights Programme of GDI in 2020. She has been engaged in litigation, research, reporting, project writing. Salome is interested in human rights, public international law and international humanitarian law.
Ekaterine Subeliani is a lawyer of the Civil and Political Rights Program. Ekaterine has finished her Bachelor’s studies in Law at the Free University of Tbilisi. Ekaterine has successfully participated in international and national moot court competitions organized by the OSCE/ODIHR, GYLA, USAID, the Ministry of Justice of Georgia and others.
In 2021, Vasil Zhizhiashvili graduated from Tbilisi Free University Law School. From 2019 to 2022, he worked as a constitutional lawyer in the Georgian Young Lawyers Association. Since 2022, Vasil Zhizhiashvili is also a guest lecturer at Tbilisi Free University and the University of Georgia.
Mariam Taganashvili is a lawyer of the international litigation team at GDI. Mariam has finished her Bachelor’s studies in Law at the Free University of Tbilisi. Currently, she is enrolled at Ilia State University, where she is pursuing a Master’s Degree in Public Law and Policy. Mariam worked as a paralegal in the Civil and Administrative Program at the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA). Also, she was an intern at the Rule of Law Program of GDI. Mariam has successfully participated in international and national moot court competitions organized by the OSCE/ODIHR, GYLA, USAID, the Justice of Georgia, the Parliament of Georgia, and others.
Vika Kakhidze holds the position of administrative assistant in the organization. Vika is studying Governance and social sciences bachelor's program at the Free University of Tbilisi. She has gained work and volunteer experience in non-governmental organizations such as "International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy" (ISFED), "Democracy Defenders", etc. Currently, she actively participates in student projects and civil activities.
Nino Shelia is a law school student at Free University of Tblisi. According to that, since September 2022 she is researching Freedom of Expression in US Supreme Court practice. During the summer 2022 she has become DAAD scholarship holder and has attended the course of Law at Westphalian Wilhelms-University at Muenster, Germany.