(MDF report)
Georgian watchdog groups are becoming increasingly worried about bogus user accounts that frequently praise the government and target their critics, especially in times critical for the ruling Georgian Dream Party. Negative campaigns, online trolls, and fake news agencies, which dominated the last presidential election and indicated murky campaign finances, have now become a part of daily political news. [Read more…]
‘March of Georgians’ in Tbilisi on 14 July 2017 (Luka Pertaia/OC Media)
Shota Kincha is OC Media’s staff writer.
Georgia’s liberal rights groups, neoliberal political parties, and their supporters in the media have consistently tried to discredit neo-nationalists by simply labelling them ‘pro-Russian’ — a misguided claim that only mirrors the opposite claim that rights groups follow an anti-Georgian ‘Soros agenda’. To address growing far-right authoritarianism in Georgia, the underlying social and economic roots of the problem need to be addressed, as well as the legacy of authoritarianism of the previous ruling class. [Read more…]
Mayor Temur Abazov and MP Azer Suleimanov (Facebook)
The mayor of Marneuli, in southern Georgia, and an MP have been charged with inhumane and degrading treatment and assault respectively. Mayor Temur Abazov and MP Azer Suleimanov were charged on Wednesday after videos were posted on Facebook appearing to show a man being forced to wipe his own urine on his face and apologise for insulting ruling party officials. [Read more…]
Vano Merabishvili (interpressnews)
The Grand Chamber of the European Court for Human Rights (ECHR) has ruled that Georgian authorities violated two articles of the European Convention on Human Rights in their treatment of former Prime Minister Vano Merabishvili while in detention. However, the court stopped short of ruling that the charges against him were politically motivated, as Merabishvili’s lawyers claimed. [Read more…]
(Mari Nikuradze /OC Media)
Kakha Kaladze has been elected Mayor of Tbilisi in Georgia’s local elections. The ruling Georgian Dream party won polls throughout the country, coming first in all 64 cities and municipalities electing mayors. [Read more…]
Renovated Pekini Street (/Tbilisi City Hall)
Irakli Zhvania is an architect and urban designer consulting for a number of local and international organisations. He previously taught the history and theory of city planning.
Tbilisi and its inhabitants are accustomed to major renovations at election times — a ‘tradition’ for politicians and city administrations. Such timely expressions of care for the city started under the United National Movement and have continued with Georgian Dream. [Read more…]
Parliament election in 2016 (Mari Nikuradze /DF Watch)
Georgians will head to polls on Saturday to elect 59 municipal and district heads (gamgebeli) and five mayors — in Tbilisi, Batumi, Kutaisi, Poti, and Rustavi. Voters will also elect 2,058 members of 64 local councils (sakrebulos). Those elected will serve four years in office. [Read more…]
