Legislation increasingly restricting the work of civil society and the detention and prosecution of peaceful protestors in Georgia as well as the recent arrests of political opposition leaders are of growing concern, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) said today.
"We are following current developments in Georgia with deep concern, also in light of the recent arrests and convictions of opposition politicians. We also call on the authorities to withdraw the recent legislation hindering the legitimate work of civil society," said ODIHR Director Maria Telalian. "Civil and political rights are a lynchpin of democracy and the rule of law."
ODIHR notes with particular concern the arrests of dozens of protestors in recent months and reports of the lack of respect for fair trial standards, as well as of increased pressure on human rights defenders and civil society actors while carrying out their legitimate work. In addition, eight leading opposition politicians have been arrested in recent weeks, with the majority sentenced to prison terms.
ODIHR advised Georgia last year in a legal review to repeal the so-called ''foreign agents law'' and warned that new legislation regulating the work of civil society organizations would limit rather than empower them to carry out their activities. In March this year, the Office also expressed serious concern over recent amendments to the regulation of demonstrations and other forms of assembly, stating that the foreseen sanctions are overly severe and incompatible with international human rights standards.
The OSCE participating states have jointly acknowledged that "the rule of law must be based on respect for internationally recognized human rights, including the right to a fair trial, the right to an effective remedy, and the right not to be subjected to arbitrary arrest or detention." They have also emphasized the need to protect human rights defenders. In addition, states have agreed to respect the right to establish political parties and provide "guarantees to enable them to compete with each other on a basis of equal treatment."
ODIHR regrets the Georgian authorities' stated intention not to invite the Office to observe the forthcoming local elections, a departure from Georgia's longstanding and consistent practice over the past two decades. ODIHR continues to stand ready to deploy an observation mission if the authorities decide to send a timely invitation, in the interest of transparency and increased public confidence in Georgia's democratic institutions.
"ODIHR remains dedicated to supporting Georgia in upholding its OSCE commitments, and we hope to continue our longstanding cooperation with both the Georgian authorities and civil society to help strengthen democratic governance and human rights for all," Maria Telalian added.
