The Georgian Democracy initiative presents the report on Human Rights and Freedoms in Georgia for the second half of 2014. The paper covers the developments and problems in terms of human rights protection and rule of law revealed in the country during the reporting period.
The report contains a number of issues raised during the reporting period including the cases of violation of freedom of religion and discrimination on religious grounds, discriminatory speeches made by public officials, role of media in broadcasting the minority issues, problems related to regulations for compensation of damage to religious groups and the implementation of anti-discrimination legislation. Substantial part of the report is dedicated to the situation in penitentiary system, in particular, cases of ill-treatment and suicide and to the legislative changes regulating the penitentiary system. The document also covers the topics of excessive use of force by police, domestic violence, and legislative changes aimed at elimination of domestic violence, personal data protection and illegal surveillance.
Some positive developments could be seen in term of legislative changes in the fields of fights against domestic violence and personal data protection; although, one should underline here that problems detected in these fields are not that much caused by legislative gaps but are more related to the impediments in effective implementation of the laws.
The situation in penitentiary establishments as well as an increasing number of suicide cases there remain very problematicand indicate to the inadequate protection of fundamental rights of prisoners.
Adangerous tendency of growing number of facts of religious persecution and confrontations has been revealed for the last two years generated by the inability of the state to choose a right policyor by inaction of a state in certain cases. Recent developments show that the State Agency for Religious Issues has not been efficient in solving these problems.
The adoption of anti-discrimination legislation deserves positive assessment, though its deficiencies and ineffective mechanisms of its implementation make it less efficient in terms of human rights protection.
Human rights violation facts and tendencies revealed during the reporting period require thorough systemic analysis by state and stronger efforts in addressing them in order to ensure the rule of law and adequate protection of human rights.
