Protests and Repression in Georgia
In 2024, many protests took place in Georgia. But the government’s response was not good. It restricted people’s freedom to assemble, used special means against them, and mistreated citizens during dispersals.
The Human Rights Center says that this is a systematic problem. The government is using violence and detaining people unfairly. This shows that there is a coordinated policy of repression in place.
The report also talks about the parliamentary elections in 2024. It says that the government’s actions were not fair, and it persecuted civil society organizations.
There was no information on who would be held accountable for these actions. Even when videos showed police officers being violent or abusive, investigations only looked at minor charges like “abuse of official authority.” This made people feel safe to keep being violent because they knew they wouldn’t get in trouble.
The government also didn’t condemn the violence used by police. This made things even worse. The report says that this is a sign of a bigger problem – the government is trying to intimidate and punish its opponents.
Media Freedom Deteriorated
In 2024, Georgia’s media environment got much worse. Before the parliamentary elections, many journalists and media organizations were threatened or attacked. This was especially true for independent and critical media.
The government passed a law that made it hard for independent media to work. It also made state institutions less transparent, which affected media freedom. Journalists who spoke out against the government faced lawsuits, and there was a lot of disinformation spread daily.
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