The Human Rights Center (HRC), a local human rights watchdog published its annual report on January 29, critically assessing the state of human rights’ protection in Georgia in 2024 and detailing the country’s “democratic backsliding in 2024”. The report is based on evaluations and assessments conducted by the Human Rights Center, the Human Rights Defenders Association, the Public Defender of Georgia, and other local and international organizations to determine the standard of human rights protection in the country.
The year 2024 was characterized by a sharp deterioration in the human rights situation in Georgia. This has affected all social groups, as the country’s democratic decline affects every citizen and threatens the rights situation and future of everyone.
The report highlights several key concerns identified through monitoring, including by the adoption of repressive laws, the disputed parliamentary elections of October 26, which were marred by numerous violations, the persecution of civil society organizations, the disproportionate use of force by government authorities, and violent crackdowns during protests. Additionally, the report addresses issues related to gender inequality, discrimination based on ethnic, religious, or sexual identity.
Persecution of CSOs and Individuals with Critical Views
Foreign Agents’ Law
The HRC argues that the primary objective of adoption of the “Foreign Agents law”—referred to in the report as the “Russian law” — is the “stigmatization of organizations” through labeling and shutting down of critical voices.
The law mandates that organizations and media outlets receiving foreign funding must register in a designated registry, which HRC contends is an attempt to brand them as “agents of foreign interests,” thereby damaging their reputation and suppressing freedom of speech. Furthermore, HRC says that this law directly contradicts the fulfillment of the nine-point reform agenda set by the European Union, as one of the required steps toward EU integration involves strengthening the role of civil society organizations.
- 03/09/2024 – 476 CSOs Register by Foreign Agents Law Deadline
However, the report also notes that the discrediting of civil society organizations in Georgia began even before the adoption of this repressive legislation. The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders highlighted that, human rights violations had reached an “alarming level” despite the withdrawal of the proposed law in 2023. Thus, the central concern was not merely the passage of the law but the need for proactive government measures to mitigate the harm already inflicted on human rights defenders. Nevertheless, the report notes that the situation has continued to deteriorate in the subsequent period.
From Discreditation to Physical Violence
The report outlines the phases and progression of persecution against CSOs. In the initial stage, HRC states that CSOs were discredited verbally, with labels such as “Enemies of the Church” and “LGBT propagandists,” followed by instances of intimidation, harassment, and threats from ultra-right groups. The second stage began on May 7, 2024, when activists and their family members started receiving anonymous phone calls containing threats and verbal abuse. In the third stage, HRC highlights the use of hate speech, citing incidents where posters featuring the directors of member organizations with inscriptions such as “Agents’ Network” and “Destroyers of the Country” were placed on the doors and walls of the Tbilisi Human Rights House. Additionally, offensive graffiti and inscriptions appeared on the building’s facade, fence, gate, and surrounding pavement. There were cases of vandalizing of and breaking in the opponents’ offices. “This violence was encouraged and allegedly orchestrated by a member of the Georgian Parliament from the “Georgian Dream,” the report reads. It lists the attacks on civil society and media representatives, activists and opposition figures.
The final stage, occurring between May 5–11, was marked by physical assaults on activists.
The report describes these widespread violations as “criminal acts under the Criminal Code of Georgia” that have not led to any legal consequences due to the lack of investigative action. The report also cites recent violations, including raids on activists’ homes and the offices of opposition forces, a brutal crackdown on media representatives, and physical attacks on peaceful demonstrators by government-affiliated thugs, also known as Titushky.
2024 Parliamentary Elections
Violations Identified during Pre-election Period and on Election Day
The HRC highlights the highly polarized pre-election period in Georgia, citing statements from Georgian Dream (GD) representatives about banning opposition parties. The report emphasizes alleged vote-buying, misuse of administrative resources, and GD’s rhetoric filled with “pseudo-religious and nationalist sentiments,” all aimed at securing mass voter support. As an example, the report mentions the transfer of non-agricultural land plots to the Georgian Patriarchate for one GEL and the alleged politically motivated dismissal of school principals in August 2024.
According to HRC, the October 26, 2024, parliamentary elections were marred by systemic violations, particularly in ethnic minority regions, where voters faced intimidation, ballot secrecy breaches, and interference at polling stations. Unauthorized individuals were reportedly stationed near polling places, issuing orders, transporting voters, and collaborating with GD observers and election commission members. The report also highlights obstruction of election observers, including threats, expulsions, and restrictions on movement, photography, and documentation. These violations have been also included in OSCE/ODIHR final report, according to which Western partners do not recognize the election results as either fair or democratic.
- 20/12/2024 – ODIHR Final Report Reiterates Multiple Concerns over October 26 Elections, Calls for Concrete Action
The report also details “severe” violations on election day, which included, among others, voters photographing their ballots, unauthorized individuals entering polling booths, registrars failing to enforce voting procedures, such as ballot marking and ensuring a single ballot per voter. The HRC stresses that these violations undermined the secrecy of the vote, a right protected by the Georgian Constitution and international standards and conventions. The failure to ensure the secrecy of vote is identified as a major problem. The report details multiple violations revealed throughout October 26 and stresses the “systemic pressure” on voters, especially in the regions.
- 23/12/2024 – IRI’s Final Report Says October 26 Elections ‘Fundamentally Flawed’, Calls for New Elections
Election-related Lawsuits
The HRC notes that the violations extended beyond the secrecy of the vote to the free expression of will, as voters’ choices were visible from the back of the ballot paper, heightening the risk of undue influence. Despite video surveillance in polling stations and prior warnings from the Georgian Young Lawyers Association, the Central Election Commission (CEC) failed to address these concerns.
On October 29, appeals were filed with the District Election Commissions, with over 20 courts reviewing appeals from monitoring organizations and opposition parties. Invalidating results from technological precincts could have significantly impacted the election outcome, HRC notes. However, only one judge, Vladimer Khuchua, acknowledged the violation of ballot secrecy, stating that the electoral process did not guarantee voter confidentiality. After an unusually long hearing lasting almost 24 hours, the Court of Appeal rejected the violation of the secrecy of the vote and overturned Khuchua’s decision. Following this ruling, he became the target of a discrediting campaign by pro-Georgian Dream media and anonymous online sources.
The report notes that the Constitutional Court rejected a lawsuit filed by President Salome Zurabishvili and opposition MPs challenging the violation of electoral universality and ballot secrecy.
Freedom of Assembly and Manifestation
Using special methodology, the HRC monitored 15 protests from January 1 to November 1, 2024, eight of which were related to the foreign agent law. The report highlights widespread violations, including illegal administrative detentions, inhumane treatment amounting to torture, excessive use of force in dispersing protests in contravention of national legislation and international practice, disproportionate police mobilization, deployment of unidentified officers, and politically motivated persecution of protesters.
The HRC notes the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ (MIA) practice of photographing and recording demonstrators without legal justification, arguing that this infringes on the right to freedom of assembly. The report also documents the violent dispersal of rallies on April 30, May 1, and May 6, citing the use of disproportionate force, illegal detentions, and brutal physical assaults on protesters. It further condemns the government’s use of water cannons during the April-May protests, stating that there was no legitimate necessity for such measures. Police forces also unlawfully targeted peaceful demonstrators with tear gas and pepper spray at close range. The report notes that despite official denials, media evidence confirmed the use of rubber bullets.
The HRC also highlights illegal detentions and physical assaults on women, journalists, and opposition members, which were especially prevalent during the dispersals of April-May and the post-election protests in November. According to the report, state interference with freedom of assembly became “particularly brutal” in November-December 2024, following allegations of election fraud and GD Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze’s announcement halting EU integration. Protest dispersals during this period involved water cannons, tear gas, and pepper spray, with reports that police officers physically assaulted peaceful demonstrators attempting to leave through designated corridors or left not exists for them to leave. Additional human rights violations included verbal assaults, intimidation, threats, and severe beatings. “Often, the violence took place secretly in vehicles, where detainees were tied up, beaten, and stepped on,” the report states, citing forensic evidence of serious head and facial injuries, multiple bone fractures, and the need for surgical intervention.
The Practice of Illegal Detention of Protest Participants
The HRC states that Georgian police have systematically resorted to administrative detentions on charges such as petty hooliganism and disobeying lawful orders, often without evidence.
The report criticizes Georgia’s Administrative Code, stating that it does not comply with international human rights standards. Enacted in 1984 under Soviet rule, the Code is described as one of the most repressive legislative acts in the country, lacking basic procedural safeguards and failing to protect citizens from arbitrary detention and unfair trials. The HRC notes that the severity of penalties under this Code fluctuates depending on the political climate.
Arbitrary detentions were particularly characteristic of the April-May protests, with cases such as the arrest of a medical student providing aid to demonstrators despite committing no offense. The report also highlights that detainees’ families and lawyers often struggled to locate them, as authorities withheld information about their whereabouts. Despite calls from the United Against Torture Consortium (UATC) and local organizations urging the government to end violence against peaceful protesters, investigate cases of torture and ill-treatment, and compensate victims, no measures were taken.
The same patterns persisted during the November-December protests, with approximately 500 people detained. The HRC report underscores that during this period, law enforcement inflicted particularly severe violence on peaceful demonstrators, including minors, women, and individuals with disabilities. Given the scale of repression, civil society organizations began systematically documenting human rights violations and other forms of state-driven persecution.
The HRC also noted that despite the existence of video footage clearly showing mistreatment by police officers, investigations have been initiated only under Article 333 of the Criminal Code of Georgia (Exceeding Official Powers). The report further highlights that many of the officers involved in violent incidents wore masks and were not identifiable, raising serious concerns about accountability.
According to the HRC, the investigative actions conducted by the Special Investigation Service do not comply with international human rights standards or the Istanbul Protocol. The organization argues that the repeated nature of violent incidents, coupled with the lack of accountability for acts of torture and ill-treatment, suggests a systematic and coordinated policy of repression and retaliation against the government opponents.
Exposing and Prosecuting Abusive Police Forces
In spite of the multiple cases of police brutality there has still been no public information on the progress of the investigations or on bringing the perpetrators to justice, the report says. Although publicly released footage sometimes clearly shows cases of alleged torture or degrading and inhuman treatment by law enforcement officials, investigations are still only opened under the article of abuse of authority in all cases.
HRC stresses that “the sense of impunity was reinforced by the fact that the law enforcement officers did not wear identification and their faces were covered by masks.” The investigation of these events by the Special Investigation Service did not comply with international human rights standards and the Istanbul Protocol.
Media and Restrictions on Freedom of Expression
The report indicates that in 2024, Georgia’s media environment significantly deteriorated, with media representatives facing increased threats, intimidation, and violence, particularly in the lead-up to the parliamentary elections. “Attacks primarily targeted independent and critical media organizations, the report notes.
According to the HRC, the adoption of the Foreign Agent Law aimed to stigmatize, restrict, and ultimately dismantle independent media and civil society. Parliament gradually became inaccessible to independent media, while the politicization of state institutions severely impacted press freedom.
Strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) remained a major issue, targeting independent and critical media to suppress journalistic activity. Additionally, widespread disinformation became a serious challenge. “By the end of the year, civil society organizations called for the resignation of the Chairperson and Director of the Public Broadcaster’s Supervisory Board, citing violations of Georgia’s Law on Broadcasting.”
The report also highlights multiple instances where journalists faced obstruction while performing their professional duties, including physical assaults that prevented them from carrying out their work. It documents numerous cases of attacks and crackdowns on independent media representatives, noting that investigations into these incidents failed to produce any consequences for the perpetrators.
Finally, the HRC states: “In each case, the purpose of the inhumane actions taken against journalists was to intimidate them and hinder them from performing their professional duties, preventing them from covering illegal actions by law enforcement officers on the ground or punishing them for the material they had already reported.”
Judiciary
“In 2024, the judiciary continued to operate with sanctioned judges and an unhealthy system, which ultimately led to mass violations of human rights in the decisions of the court,” the report reads. Georgia’s EU integration came “under risk” in March 2024, when members of the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party and executive authorities refused to establish a “mechanism to verify the integrity of judges,” a so-called “vetting mechanism.” This mechanism was a key requirement for Georgia’s EU accession, and its rejection meant that judges sanctioned by the U.S. remained in their official positions.
The Coalition for an Independent and Transparent Judiciary considered the judicial conference held on 24 March, where an influential group of judges convened to discuss the idea of verifying the integrity of judges, as requested by the European Commission, as damaging to the European integration process. Despite EU recommendations, the High Council of Justice and the Parliament of Georgia continued appointing Supreme Court judges using existing procedures.
On April 5, 2024 it was reported that four judges, through the decision of the court, had halted their asset verification by the Anti-Corruption Bureau. This raised concerns that judicial “clan” members were able to evade financial integrity checks, even within the already limited scope of the Anti-Corruption Bureau.
The report further highlights instances where judges with dissenting opinions faced political attacks from the ruling party and a case of expulsion of a dissenting judge from the judicial system.
Trials of People Arrested During Protests
The HRC reports that, in most cases, judicial decisions heavily relied on the prosecutor’s claims, with the Ministry of Internal Affairs frequently basing its cases on police testimony. The report criticizes this practice, arguing that “basing a court decision solely on a police officer’s testimony is fundamentally flawed, as the officer is unlikely to contradict the arrest report.”
Additionally, the report documents instances of physical assaults and procedural violations, where individuals were arrested without evidence, subjected to violence, yet still fined or placed in custody. It further states that the trials of detained demonstrators, the judicial determination of violations without evidence, the uniform nature of rulings, and the imposition of excessive fines have effectively transformed the judiciary into a punitive institution. Instead of safeguarding human rights, the courts, in some cases, have facilitated the suppression of dissent and the enforcement of repressive measures.
Right to Equality
The report highlights persistent inequalities in Georgia, particularly regarding women’s rights, child protection, people with disabilities, the elderly, the homeless, and minorities.
As of September 2024, social welfare recipients reached a record 682,739 people (18.5% of the population), reflecting severe socio-economic difficulties. Despite gender equality being a key EU accession requirement, on May 15, 2024, Parliament overturned a presidential veto to abolish women’s quotas. In the first eight months of 2024, eight women were killed, 692 restraining orders were issued, and 824 cases of violence against women were recorded.
Children’s rights remain inadequately protected, with 30% unaware of their rights and 70% possessing only minimal knowledge. Physical punishment remains widespread, and cases of sexual abuse persist. The report criticizes the controversial Law on the Protection of Family Values and Minors, which the UN warns could lead to violations of children’s rights and criminalize activism, science, and healthcare.
People with disabilities continue to face systemic discrimination in employment, education, and healthcare due to inadequate infrastructure and low social integration, the report says, while national minorities struggle with civic integration, education, and political participation due to language barriers, limiting their representation in governance.
LGBTQ+ rights deteriorated significantly after Parliament passed anti-LGBTQ+ legislation on September 17. The next day, prominent transgender woman Kesaria Abramidze was found murdered. The Public Defender condemned the crime as evidence of escalating hate-fueled violence, calling for stronger legal responses to such attacks.
Human Rights in Occupied Territories and Adjacent to Occupation Line
The report says, that in 2024, the human rights situation in the occupied territories and regions near the occupation line remained critical. Russia’s annexation efforts and increasing political control further restricted citizens’ rights. In Abkhazia and South Ossetia, human rights protection is not a priority for the de facto authorities, leading to the suppression of independent civil society and critical media. Assessing the situation in these regions remains challenging due to restricted access for independent international organizations, further exacerbating the already dire working conditions for human rights monitors. The inability to conduct proper assessments highlights the severe challenges faced by residents living under occupation.
Also Read:
- 17/01/2025 – Government’s Actions in 2024 Led to Human Rights Crisis in Georgia, HRW Reports
- 04/12/2024 – GYLA: State Institutions Are Involved in Crimes Against Humanity
- 23/12/2024 – CSOs Decry Abuses in Georgia’s Criminal Justice System, Call for Accountability
- 20/12/2024 – Media Freedom Coalition to GD’s Government: End Excessive Use of Force against Journalists
- 22/01/2024 – HRC Report on Assemblies and Manifestations in Georgia in 2023
- 21/10/2024 – TI Georgia Report on ‘Misuse of Administrative Resources in Parliamentary Elections 2024’
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