Public Defender’s 2021 report laments “threatening and hostile” environment for media, criticises legislative changes

Georgian Public Defender Nino Lomjaria has released the 2021 Human Rights Report lamenting “threatening and hostile” environment for reporters and media outlets, and criticising legislative changes in the judiciary of the country.

Covering issues and controversial cases related to human rights situation in Georgia over the past year, Lomjaria said “the situation with human rights protection did not significantly improve in 2021 - moreover, there has been a significant deterioration in a number of areas”.

Lomjaria also said in the report the “threatening and hostile” environment in which journalists, civil society activists and human rights activists operate in the country was “alarming”. 

According to the annual report, there has been a growing restriction on freedom of expression in the country in recent years. In the report, the Public Defender called the events of July 5, 2021 - where a total of 53 journalists were attacked and injured by right-wing groups protesting the planned Tbilisi Pride march -  "one of the saddest days in the recent history of the country."

Deterioration in the standard of protection of political rights in the country during the year was also reflected in the realisation of the right to vote,  Lomjaria stated in the report, noting the 2021 local self-government elections were “not held in a free and equal environment”.

According to the same report, it is particularly noteworthy that in the pre-election period, the “unfortunate trend” of interference in the freedom of labour of persons on political grounds was “evident” in both the private and public sectors.

The Public Defender also commented on the abolition of the State Inspector Service in 2021, saying the purpose of the change that replaced the institution with two new bodies was to “interfere in and influence” the activities of the independent agency. 

The report criticised other legislative changes that were made in 2021, saying they “dramatically worsened” the degree of independence of judges in Georgia, the state of the justice system, and the right to a fair trial. The report also pointed to cases of “obstructions” of activities of the Public Defender and “verbal attacks or threats” against her.