U.S. State Department Report Reviews Georgia’s Human Rights Challenges in 2024

In its first annual human rights report since the change in the U.S. administration, the State Department offered a critical review of Georgia’s key human rights challenges over the past year, highlighting repressive legislation, police abuses, impunity, and restrictions on media freedom and freedom of expression.

In the report covering events of 2024, the State Department listed the Foreign Agents Law and Georgian Dream’s anti-LGBT laws, as well as abuses during the disputed October parliamentary elections, among “notable” negative human rights developments. According to the report, “significant human right issues” also included reports of torture, arrests, and violence against journalists, among others.

“Notable negative human rights developments in Georgia during the year included the entry into force of the so-called law On Transparency of Foreign Influence that credible nongovernmental organizations stated restricted freedom of expression and of association, and the so-called law On Family Values and Protection of Minors that criminalized certain types of expression, and a campaign of intimidation and coercion and abuse of administrative resources that restricted freedom of expression, particularly in connection with the October parliamentary election,” the report says.

According to the document, “significant human rights issues included credible reports of: torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment; arbitrary arrest and detention; and serious restrictions on freedom of expression and media freedom, including violence and threats of violence against citizens and journalists, unjustified arrests and prosecution of journalists, and the chilling impact of the so-called laws on transparency and on family values.”

While the government investigated and punished “some officials” for abuses, the report says “impunity remained a problem.”

Press Freedom

The report underscores concerns over press freedom, noting a “worsening environment and legislation for media pluralism, as well as violence and threats of violence against journalists” and a “lack of accountability in such cases.” The document cites “continued reports of physical attacks, intimidation and threats of violence, coercion, and harassment against citizens, journalists and others throughout the year.”

The government has not investigated attacks, damage to equipment, or intimidation against reporters during the October 26 election, the report says.

The document said “authorities or unidentified assailants believed to be acting on behalf of the ruling Georgian Dream party” violently targeted dozens of media professionals during November and December protests sparked by Irakli Kobakhidze’s announcement to halt EU integration. Attacks included “beatings and exposure to pepper spray, tear gas, and water cannons,” it reads.

The report also refers to reports of attacks by titushki [government-sponsored thugs], which the document describes as “unidentified assailants typically dressed in all black with their faces covered”, on journalists and protesters. The document cites videos and documented reports pointing to the failure by police to intervene during the attacks or “appeared to direct or cooperate with titushki.”

Citing the OSCE/ODIHR report on the 2024 parliamentary elections, the State Department report says “authorities sought to suppress freedom of expression for candidates and voters during the parliamentary election campaign with coercion and intimidation.”

The report says that “government officials were not held accountable for violence and harassment.”

Violence, Abuses, Detentions

According to the report, while Georgia’s constitution prohibited “torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment,” there were credible reports that “government officials employed them.”

The report cites Ombudsperson’s reports that among “260 detainees his office visited during the pro-EU demonstrations, 188 claimed they were subjected to violence and inhuman treatment by police before or during detention,” noting that “through year’s end, authorities reported investigations continued, and no law enforcement officials had been charged with abuse.”

The document refers to “significant reports of selective or arbitrary arrests including cases that led to prolonged detention without clear charges,” citing up to 450 administrative detentions during the pro-EU demonstrations and more than 2010 detentions “during a violent police crackdown on mass peaceful protests” of the foreign agents law. The report cites instances where detainees needing medical care were not taken to facilities, and notes that the Special Investigation Service “had not delivered any result of an investigation” on official abuses by the year’s end.

On pretrial detention, the report finds that “lengthy and unjustified pretrial detention was a serious problem” and that NGOs reported political cases often exceeded the constitutional nine-month limit without clear justification.

The document further refers to reports by journalists and activists about “receiving harassing and threatening telephone calls and instances of vandalism against their homes and offices, including offensive posters and damage to vehicles.”

The report cites the National Preventive Mechanism under the Ombudsperson’s office that identified “a systemwide practice of body inspections,” including full nude searches and “squatting,” with body scanners available in only four prisons.

Occupied Territories

On the Russian-occupied regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, the report says they “remained outside of central government control,” and cites “credible reports of arbitrary arrest and detention” by “Russian and de facto authorities” committing abuses with impunity.”

The document also cites “frequent reports of prolonged detentions of Georgians” alongside the occupation line.

Also Read:

• 02/04/2025 – Public Defender’s 2024 Human Rights Report
• 30/01/2025 – HRC Releases Critical Annual Human Rights Report
• 20/12/2024 – ODIHR Final Report Reiterates Multiple Concerns over October 26 Elections, Calls for Concrete Action
• 10/12/2024 – CSOs Joint Statement Condemning Arrests, Torture, and Repression in Georgia
  

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