Georgia’s Human Rights Situation Deteriorates in 2024
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has released its World Report 2025, which says that Georgia experienced a significant decline in human rights throughout 2024. The report states that the government passed repressive laws and responded violently to peaceful protests.
The HRW Executive Director, Tirana Hassan, said that this pattern is consistent with global trends where governments crack down on political opponents, activists, and journalists. Hugh Williamson, Europe and Central Asia Director at Human Rights Watch, urged the government to reverse its course and respect human rights.
**Disputed Parliamentary Elections**
A major turning point for human rights deterioration came during the disputed October 26 parliamentary elections. The government abandoned Georgia’s EU accession process despite constitutional commitments. Nationwide protests were met with harsh police responses, including tear gas, water cannons, and rubber bullets.
Riot police and informal violent groups associated with the authorities beat opposition and independent journalists and interfered with their work with impunity. Police arrested hundreds of protesters on misdemeanor and criminal charges. Many reported beatings and ill-treatment in detention; dozens required hospitalization.
**Recommendations**
HRW recommends that Georgia’s international partners call for an independent investigation into the government’s violent clampdown on mainly peaceful anti-government protests and consider imposing targeted, individual sanctions against officials responsible for violent abuses against peaceful protesters.
**Freedom of Expression and Assembly**
The Foreign Agents Law adopted in June 2024 imposed onerous reporting requirements on NGOs and media organizations receiving foreign funding. The law allows authorities to demand sensitive personal data from organizations and individuals.
HRW says that civic and political activists became targets of a coordinated campaign of harassment and intimidation before the final adoption of the Foreign Agents law. Hundreds of activists and their family members received threatening phone calls, and smear campaigns featured posters calling them traitors and enemies.
**Law Enforcement Abuses and Impunity**
Tens of thousands of people continued to protest against the Foreign Agents Bill after it was introduced in April. Police used tear gas, water cannon, and pepper spray to disperse mainly non-violent protesters. There were credible reports that police used rubber bullets on at least one occasion.
HRW notes that police arrested hundreds of people on minor charges, and courts fined many after perfunctory trials. More than a dozen journalists and media workers were injured by police during the protests.
**Gender and Sexuality**
The human rights situation further deteriorated with the adoption of anti-LGBT amendments in September, which prohibit positive references to LGBT people in literature, film, and media.
HRW recalls that organizers of Tbilisi Pride refrained from holding in-person events during Pride Month in 2024 due to concerns over potential violence and hate rhetoric.
**Children’s Rights**
The report highlights the need for urgent measures in several key areas, including abuse, neglect, sexual violence, and exploitation of children. The abolishment of mandatory parliamentary and municipal council quotas for women is also criticized.
**Labor Rights**
HRW says that labor rights continue to be a serious concern in Georgia, with weak overtime regulations, widespread wage theft, minimal social protections, and unregulated wages.
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