The article discusses the human rights situation in Georgia, a country that has been striving to join the European Union. The report by the Human Rights Centre (HRC) highlights several concerns and challenges faced by the Georgian society.
**Judicial System**
* The HRC reports that judges sanctioned by the US remained in their positions despite recommendations from the European Commission to establish a “vetting mechanism” to verify the integrity of judges.
* The judicial conference held on March 24 was considered damaging to the European integration process, and despite EU recommendations, the High Council of Justice and the Parliament of Georgia continued appointing Supreme Court judges using existing procedures.
**Corruption**
* Four judges halted their asset verification by the Anti-Corruption Bureau through a court decision, raising concerns that judicial “clan” members were able to evade financial integrity checks.
* The report highlights instances where judges with dissenting opinions faced political attacks from the ruling party and a case of expulsion of a dissenting judge from the judicial system.
**Human Rights Abuses**
* The HRC reports that judicial decisions heavily relied on prosecutor‘s claims, with police testimony frequently being used as evidence.
* The report documents instances of physical assaults and procedural violations, where individuals were arrested without evidence, subjected to violence, yet still fined or placed in custody.
**Persistent Inequalities**
* The report highlights persistent inequalities in Georgia, particularly regarding women’s rights, child protection, people with disabilities, the elderly, the homeless, and minorities.
* Social welfare recipients reached a record 682,739 people (18.5% of the population) as of September 2024, reflecting severe socio-economic difficulties.
**Violence Against Women**
* On May 15, 2024, Parliament overturned a presidential veto to abolish women’s quotas.
* In the first eight months of 2024, eight women were killed, 692 restraining orders were issued, and 824 cases of violence against women were recorded.
**Children‘s Rights**
* Children’s rights remain inadequately protected, with 30% unaware of their rights and 70% possessing only minimal knowledge.
* Physical punishment remains widespread, and cases of sexual abuse persist.