Georgia
11.07.02
Urgent Interventions
Georgia: Attack on the offices of the Liberty Institute
URGENT APPEAL - THE OBSERVATORY
GEO 001/0702/OBS 039
Assault/ Discredit campaign
Georgia
11 July 2002
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint FIDH and OMCT program, requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Georgia:
Brief description of the situation:
The Observatory has been informed by the Human Rights Information and Documentation Centre that at 3 pm on July 10, 2002, a group of about 15 people attacked the Liberty Institute office in Tbilisi, injuring Levan Ramishvili, David Zurabashvili, Sozar Subeliani (correspondent of radio "Liberty"), leading members of the Institute, as well as three other representatives (George Meladze, Giga Prangishvili, Dali Tskitishvili).
Levan Ramishvili, Director of the Liberty Institute, was particularly targeted. His injuries have resulted in his speach having been temporarily impaired. Three experts from the Council of Europe, present in the offices at the time, witnessed the attack.
According to the information received, the perpetrators acted unmasked and are between 25 and 30 years old. They destroyed equipment, broke furniture and computers, and left the office in disarray. They seemed to be well-trained. After the attack, they escaped freely, although the offices are located in the City Centre.
The Observatory expresses its serious concern about this assault which has occurred in the context of a campaign against Human Rights Defenders and discredit of democratic values.
Since the beginning of 2002, there have been several attempts to discredit NGOs and to impose political control on their activities through in particular cutting them from independent sources of financial support. In March 2002, during a government session President Shevardnadze compared NGO activities with terrorist activities and asked for a severe control to be exerted on their finances. He announced that criminal cases would be launched against NGOs if any violations were found. The Minister of Finance, the only member of Government who said this campaign was an ”anti-democratic” move was immediately fired.
Since then, the President has repeated this stance on briefings and press-conferences. High rank officials echoed the President’s position and Levan Mamaladze, an influential government party leader and representative of the President in the Kvemo Kartli region even accused human rights NGO's of "treason " and called for the initiation of criminal cases for "attempted Coup d'Etat". Following these declarations, government run mass-media have launched a campaign of discredit against NGOs.
Action requested:
Please write to the Georgian authorities urging them to:
i. Order an immediate investigation into this attack in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the sanctions provided by law;
ii. Put an end to all forms of harassement against Human Rights Defenders and discredit of Human Rights Defenders;
iv. Ensure the implementation of the provisions of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by the UN general Assembly on December 9, 1998 in particular its article 1, which provides that "every person has the right, individually or collectively, to promote the protection and fulfilment of human rights and fundamental liberties at the national and international level" and article 12: “The State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present declaration.";
v. Guarantee the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and other international instruments ratified by Georgia.
Addresses:
President of Georgia:
Eduard Shevardnadze
Gruziya; 380018 g. Tbilisi; pr. Rustaveli, 8; Apparat Prezidenta Gruzii; Prezidentu Shevardnadze, E.A.; Georgia
Fax: + 995 32 - 99 96 30 / 99 08 79 / 98 23 54
E-mail: office@presidpress.gov.ge
Ministry of the Interior:
Mr. Koba NARCHEMASHVILI
Gruziya; 380014 g.Tbilisi; ul. Generala Gia Gulua, 10; Ministerstvo vnutrennikh del Gruzii; Ministru Maj.-Gen. Targamadze, K.; Georgia
Fax numbers: +995 32 - 99 95 24 and
+995 32 - 98 65 32
Minister of Justice
Mr. Roland GILIGASHVILI
19, Griboedov St, Tbilisi 380008 Georgia
Fax: +995 32 - 93 02 25;
Minister of Security
Mr. Valeri KHABURZANIA
9 April St, 4, Tbilisi, 380008 Georgia
Fax: +995 32 - 93 27 91; +995 32 - 92 23 15
General Procurator:
Mr. Nugzar GABRICHIDZE
Gruziya; 380033 g. Tbilisi; ul. Gorgosali, 24; Prokuratura Gruzii; Generalnomu prokuroru; Meparishvili, G.; Georgia
Fax: + 995 32 - 98 21 70
Chair of the parliamentary Committee for Human Rights
Mrs. Elene Tevdoradze
Gruziya 380018 g. Tbilisi pr. Rustaveli, 8; Komitet parlamenta Gruzii po pravam cheloveka, grazhdanskim petitsiyam i stroitelstvu grazhdanskogo obshchestvo
Predsedatelyu TEVDORADZE E. Fax: (+ 99532) 92 33 50
E-mail: hremcmt@parliament.ge
Public Defender of Georgia
Mrs. Nana Devdariani,
11, Machabeli street, 380007, Tbilisi, Georgia. Fax: (+ 99532) 922470 // (+ 99532) 92 24 78.
nana_devdariani@gol.ge or pdo@gateway.ge
**********
Paris, Geneva, 11 July 2002
Kindly inform the Observatory of any action undertaken quoting the code number of this appeal in your reply.
The Observatory, an FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need.
1998 Human Rights Prize of The French Republic.
To contact the Observatory, call the emergency line:
Tel and fax: FIDH : +33 (0) 1 43 55 20 11 / 43 55 18 80
Tel and fax OMCT : (+ 41 22) 809 49 39 / 809 49 29E-mail :
observatoire@iprolink.ch
GEO 001/0702/OBS 039
Assault/ Discredit campaign
Georgia
11 July 2002
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint FIDH and OMCT program, requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Georgia:
Brief description of the situation:
The Observatory has been informed by the Human Rights Information and Documentation Centre that at 3 pm on July 10, 2002, a group of about 15 people attacked the Liberty Institute office in Tbilisi, injuring Levan Ramishvili, David Zurabashvili, Sozar Subeliani (correspondent of radio "Liberty"), leading members of the Institute, as well as three other representatives (George Meladze, Giga Prangishvili, Dali Tskitishvili).
Levan Ramishvili, Director of the Liberty Institute, was particularly targeted. His injuries have resulted in his speach having been temporarily impaired. Three experts from the Council of Europe, present in the offices at the time, witnessed the attack.
According to the information received, the perpetrators acted unmasked and are between 25 and 30 years old. They destroyed equipment, broke furniture and computers, and left the office in disarray. They seemed to be well-trained. After the attack, they escaped freely, although the offices are located in the City Centre.
The Observatory expresses its serious concern about this assault which has occurred in the context of a campaign against Human Rights Defenders and discredit of democratic values.
Since the beginning of 2002, there have been several attempts to discredit NGOs and to impose political control on their activities through in particular cutting them from independent sources of financial support. In March 2002, during a government session President Shevardnadze compared NGO activities with terrorist activities and asked for a severe control to be exerted on their finances. He announced that criminal cases would be launched against NGOs if any violations were found. The Minister of Finance, the only member of Government who said this campaign was an ”anti-democratic” move was immediately fired.
Since then, the President has repeated this stance on briefings and press-conferences. High rank officials echoed the President’s position and Levan Mamaladze, an influential government party leader and representative of the President in the Kvemo Kartli region even accused human rights NGO's of "treason " and called for the initiation of criminal cases for "attempted Coup d'Etat". Following these declarations, government run mass-media have launched a campaign of discredit against NGOs.
Action requested:
Please write to the Georgian authorities urging them to:
i. Order an immediate investigation into this attack in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the sanctions provided by law;
ii. Put an end to all forms of harassement against Human Rights Defenders and discredit of Human Rights Defenders;
iv. Ensure the implementation of the provisions of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by the UN general Assembly on December 9, 1998 in particular its article 1, which provides that "every person has the right, individually or collectively, to promote the protection and fulfilment of human rights and fundamental liberties at the national and international level" and article 12: “The State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present declaration.";
v. Guarantee the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and other international instruments ratified by Georgia.
Addresses:
President of Georgia:
Eduard Shevardnadze
Gruziya; 380018 g. Tbilisi; pr. Rustaveli, 8; Apparat Prezidenta Gruzii; Prezidentu Shevardnadze, E.A.; Georgia
Fax: + 995 32 - 99 96 30 / 99 08 79 / 98 23 54
E-mail: office@presidpress.gov.ge
Ministry of the Interior:
Mr. Koba NARCHEMASHVILI
Gruziya; 380014 g.Tbilisi; ul. Generala Gia Gulua, 10; Ministerstvo vnutrennikh del Gruzii; Ministru Maj.-Gen. Targamadze, K.; Georgia
Fax numbers: +995 32 - 99 95 24 and
+995 32 - 98 65 32
Minister of Justice
Mr. Roland GILIGASHVILI
19, Griboedov St, Tbilisi 380008 Georgia
Fax: +995 32 - 93 02 25;
Minister of Security
Mr. Valeri KHABURZANIA
9 April St, 4, Tbilisi, 380008 Georgia
Fax: +995 32 - 93 27 91; +995 32 - 92 23 15
General Procurator:
Mr. Nugzar GABRICHIDZE
Gruziya; 380033 g. Tbilisi; ul. Gorgosali, 24; Prokuratura Gruzii; Generalnomu prokuroru; Meparishvili, G.; Georgia
Fax: + 995 32 - 98 21 70
Chair of the parliamentary Committee for Human Rights
Mrs. Elene Tevdoradze
Gruziya 380018 g. Tbilisi pr. Rustaveli, 8; Komitet parlamenta Gruzii po pravam cheloveka, grazhdanskim petitsiyam i stroitelstvu grazhdanskogo obshchestvo
Predsedatelyu TEVDORADZE E. Fax: (+ 99532) 92 33 50
E-mail: hremcmt@parliament.ge
Public Defender of Georgia
Mrs. Nana Devdariani,
11, Machabeli street, 380007, Tbilisi, Georgia. Fax: (+ 99532) 922470 // (+ 99532) 92 24 78.
nana_devdariani@gol.ge or pdo@gateway.ge
**********
Paris, Geneva, 11 July 2002
Kindly inform the Observatory of any action undertaken quoting the code number of this appeal in your reply.
The Observatory, an FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need.
1998 Human Rights Prize of The French Republic.
To contact the Observatory, call the emergency line:
Tel and fax: FIDH : +33 (0) 1 43 55 20 11 / 43 55 18 80
Tel and fax OMCT : (+ 41 22) 809 49 39 / 809 49 29E-mail :
observatoire@iprolink.ch