**European Body Urges Georgia to Uphold Human Rights**
The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe has issued a statement urging the Georgian government to fully uphold European standards of human rights. The statement was released on February 10.
The Bureau stressed that the Georgian authorities should take immediate steps to address the extreme political and social polarization in the country. They also emphasized that public servants should not be removed from their positions for political reasons.
**Release Detained Protesters**
The statement noted that people who participated in peaceful protests against the government should be released. This includes national and local politicians and journalists, such as Mzia Amaglobeli, about whom the Congress expresses its specific concern.
**New Elections**
The Bureau called on the Georgian government to make clear its commitment to genuine dialogue with the opposition. They emphasized that new national elections should be held based on European standards and recommendations made by international observers.
**Postpone Local Elections**
The Bureau warned against holding the upcoming local elections under the current political climate, emphasizing that it could exacerbate existing tensions. They suggested that the elections should be postponed without a substantive change in the environment.
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