US Department of State Says Georgia’s Human Rights Record Remains Poor

(Tbilisi. April 3, 2003. Civil Georgia) – “The [Georgian] Government’s human rights record remained poor; although there were a few improvements, serious problems remain,” the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2002 issued by the US Department of State on March 31 reads.

The report emphasizes on number of serous human rights abuses committed by the law enforcement agencies.

“Security forces continued to torture, beat, and otherwise abuse detainees. Corruption in law enforcement agencies was pervasive. NGOs also blamed several deaths in custody on physical abuse, torture, or inhumane and life-threatening prison conditions.”

It also says that the judiciary was subject to pressure and corruption and did not ensure due process.

According to the preface of report on Georgia “the officials infringed upon freedom of religion. The Government continued to tolerate discrimination and harassment of some religious minorities”.

“Numerous serious irregularities in the 1999, 2000, and June elections limited citizens’ right to change their government,” the preface reads. 

According to the report internal conflicts in Abkhazia and South Ossetia and the problems associated with approximately 270,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) from Abkhazia, 60,000 from South Ossetia, and 3,900 refugees from Chechnya, “posed a continued threat to national stability”.

“The Government took no concrete steps to address these problems, and lack of accountability remained a problem,” the report says.

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