Group Slams Parliament’s ‘Cynical’ Response to Ombudsman’s Report
In an open letter to the Georgian parliament, a group of journalists, civil society activists and academics criticized the legislative body’s reaction to the public defender’s human rights report and said the ruling party’s response was “cynical.”
Ruling party lawmakers attacked Public Defender Sozar Subari, accusing him of “political bias” and “incompetence,” which they said has led “to a discrediting” of the Ombudsman’s Office. The criticism came after the public defender delivered his 2007 report on human rights to Parliament on July 15. After the hearing, Parliament passed a resolution saying it “has taken note of the public defender’s report.”
“The public defender’s report is prepared based on complaints filed by Georgian citizens and clearly reflects the critical condition of human rights in the country,” the open letter singed by 36 individuals reads. “The report represents systematized, in-depth analysis of cases of violations of fundamental freedoms and rights.”
Among the signatories are: journalists Ia Antadze, Lasha Tugushi, Vakhtang Komakhidze, Nino Zuriashvili, Eliso Chapidze; head of the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association Giorgi Chkheidze; head of the International Center on Conflict and Negotiation Giorgi Khutsishvili; sociologist and professor at Tbilisi State University Iago Kachkachishvili.
“After the hearing Parliament only ‘took note of the report’ which means that violations described in the report will not be studied, those behind the violation of human rights will not be held responsible and the rights of victims will not be restored,” the open letter reads. “We are concerned over the Georgian parliament’s cynical attitude towards democracy.”
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