**Georgian Court Blocks Public Access to Political Prisoners’ Hearings**
The Georgian court has made a shocking decision to conceal the injustice taking place during the hearings of political prisoners. This move is aimed at hiding the truth from both the public in Georgia and the international community, said Tengo Tevzadze, a leader of the “Coalition for Change”.
According to Tevzadze, Georgian Dream, the ruling party, has failed to ensure public access to court hearings or guarantee a fair trial for society. This is a serious blow to the country’s judicial system, which relies on transparency and openness to function fairly.
**A Dictatorial Regime**
Tevzadze accused Georgian Dream of trying to cover up the injustice occurring in the judiciary. He pointed out that the party has banned photo and video recordings during court hearings and even threatened lawyers, family members, and attendees who tried to share any footage on social media. If they do, the hearings will be closed to the public.
This move is a clear sign of how Georgian Dream wants to silence critics and conceal its own wrongdoing. Publicity and open hearings are essential elements of a fair trial, but today we lack both in Georgia.
**International Pressure Needed**
Tevzadze called on the OSCE/ODIHR observation mission to not only focus on monitoring the process but also respond when monitoring is obstructed or prohibited. He emphasized that the country is living under a dictatorial regime and that Georgian Dream does not provide public with fair trials, cannot ensure open court proceedings, and political prisoners face lengthy prison sentences based on fabricated charges.
**Context: ODIHR’s Readiness to Monitor**
For context, Giorgi Burjanadze, legal advisor to the Center for Civil Society, stated that despite OSCE/ODIHR’s readiness to monitor the court proceedings of detainees, Georgian Dream is not allowing it. He pointed out that ODIHR was invited to Georgia in December 2024 by Salome Zurabishvili to observe cases of political prisoners but has yet to receive formal consent.
**What Are They Hiding?**
Burjanadze questioned what Georgian Dream has to hide, given that they themselves had invited ODIHR to monitor trials in the past. He emphasized that this becomes especially important now that hearings are being closed. The international community needs to take note of these developments and put pressure on Georgian Dream to ensure a fair trial for all.
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