We are concerned about the oppression of civil society organizations. Crack-down on the part of CSOs, who aim to defend democratic values, promote freedom and equality and create European systems of the governance, has become particularly active lately.
On May 1, 2014, Prime-Minister Irakli Garibashvili accused CSOs participating in the campaign This Affects You in the “damage of the international reputation of the country” and assessed their activities to be undermining for the country; this statement encouraged other politicians to make critical statements on CSOs and start certain activities against them.
On January 26, 2015, former Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili made a minatory statement about the leaders of CSOs Nino Lomjaria and Eka Gigauri, and about Kakha Kozhoridze, former chairman of the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association. In fact, he announced the publishing of compromising materials about the CSO leaders.
We believe that the statement of Bidzina Ivanishvili does not reflect a position of an ordinary citizen but is a view of an informal leader of the state. The groundless rhetoric of the ruling party representatives is the distraction from the declared values of the government. These statements suggest a purposeful campaign against CSOs. The similar approach will not only undermine the democratic values and ideas of CSOs but will also encourage the groups opposing these values. The recent developments are extremely alarming and hinder the democratic development of the state.
We call on the members of government and other politicians to stop oppression of CSOs and refrain from campaigns against them.
1. Civic Development Agency (CiDA)
2. Safari
3. Article 42 of the Constitution
4. Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC)
5. Identoba
6. Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI)
7. Human Rights Center
8. Open Society Georgia Foundation
9. Georgian Reform Association (Grass)
10. Tolerance and Development Institute (TDI)
11. Media Development Fund (MDF)
12. Georgian Center for Psycho-Social Rehabilitation of Torture Victims (GCRT)
13. UN Association of Georgia (UNAG)
14. Georgian Democracy Initiative (GDI)
15. Frontline Georgia Club
16. Studiamobil – Accent on Movement
17. Partnership for Human Rights (PHR)
18. Gender Justice
19. Institute for Non-Violence Communication
20. Human Rights House Tbilisi (HRHT)
21. LGBT Georgia
22. Center for the Victims of Cooperative Constructions “Ertoba”
23. Civic Integration Fund
24. Economic Policy Research Center (EPRC)
25. Nabiji Kharagauli
26. Bridge of Friendship – Kartlosi
27. Center for Welfare and Development
28. Georgian Democratic Development Union
29. Dusheti Development Fund
30. Borjgali
31. Akhaltsikhe Youth Center
32. Democracy Institute
33. New Initiative in Kvemo Kartli
34. Guria Youth Resource Center
35. Civic Initiative Association
36. Indigo
37. Ozurgeti Youth Scientists Club
38. Public Monitoring and Research Center
39. For Better Future
40. Union of Democrat Meskhs
41. Association Union of Tchiatura Residents
42. Stepantsminda
43. Union Demosi
44. Kutaisi Information Center
45. Imereti region Scientific Union Spektri
46. National Network for Harm Reduction, Mtskheta-Mtianeti regional committee
