**President of Georgia Urges European Leaders to Support Country**
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has written a joint letter to European leaders, asking them not to overlook Georgia at an upcoming meeting. The letter was made with the help of opposition parties and civil society groups.
The president says that the current government is making democracy in Georgia worse, and threatening its independence and future as part of Europe. She wants European leaders to take action against this.
**Government Denies Accusations**
Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said that President Zurabishvili’s accusations are false. He believes there is a “deep state” group operating in the US and EU, but he wouldn’t say who is involved.
Kobakhidze also said that he is hopeful about Georgia’s relations with the US, under President Trump. He thinks that the US can help Georgia by freeing itself from this “deep state”.
**Human Rights Defender Denied Entry**
A Lithuanian human rights activist named Regina Jegorova-Askerova was denied entry into Georgia today. She lives in Georgia and has been there for 15 years.
Jegorova-Askerova works for a Swedish organization that helps women’s rights. She said on Facebook that she was given no explanation for the denial of her entry.
**Georgian Courts Disobey Human Rights Ruling**
The Social Justice Center says that Georgian courts are not following a European Court ruling to free an Azerbaijani journalist from detention.
The court ruled that even though the European Court said the journalist shouldn’t be sent back, it’s okay for him to stay in detention. The journalist had been trying to get asylum in Georgia.
**Younger Georgians Support Gender Equality**
New studies show that younger people in Georgia support equality between men and women in work and household duties.
Older generations have more traditional views on women’s roles, and there are still barriers to women participating in politics.
These findings were shared at a conference hosted by UNDP, with help from Swedish and Swiss organizations.