Nino Lomjaria

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A field hospital, housing 91 patients, in Olympic Village in Didi Dighomi, Tbilisi. Photo: Health Ministry of Georgia.

COVID-19

Georgian Dream dismiss Public Defender as ‘political activist’ for suggesting election delay over pandemic

by Shota Kincha

•3 min read

Georgia’s ruling Georgian Dream party has rejected delaying the date of municipal elections and with some criticising the country’s Public Defender as a ‘political activist’, for making such a suggestion. On 23 August, Public Defender Nino Lomjaria lambasted Georgian authorities for relaxing anti-COVID-19 regulations earlier this summer and called on the authorities and political groups to start discussing delaying municipal elections, currently scheduled for 2 October. Georgia is curre

The Ninotsminda orphanage. Photo: Samkhretis Karibche.

Children's Rights

Georgian state officials to relocate over a dozen from controversial Church-run orphanage

by Shota Kincha

•3 min read

An estimated 16 minors have been immediately slated for relocation after state monitoring representatives were allowed to enter the Georgian Orthodox Church-run Ninotsminda orphanage. The Georgian Public Defender remains barred from the orphanage. On 4 June, the Georgian Agency for State Care and Assistance for the Victims of Human Trafficking said that that they have relocated six minors already and other ‘around ten’ were also set to leave the institution, after they were granted access to

'A protester holding a sign that reads: 'A Priest's robes do not release from responsibility'. Shoshiashvili/OC Media.

Children's Rights

Child abuse allegations dog Georgian Church orphanage

by Tata Shoshiashvili

•5 min read

Despite evidence of child abuse, and the several ongoing criminal cases, including one for the rape of a minor, the doors of the Church-run Ninotsminda orphanage remain closed to public scrutiny. Even Georgia’s Public Defender has been barred from investigating what is happening at the orphanage. On 1 June, a protest was held in front of the Chancellery of the Government of Georgia, where about 100 people demanded that the conditions within the Ninotsminda Orphanage, a closed religious boardi

Injured protester at 20 June rally. Photo: Mariam Nikuradze/OC Media

2019 Gavrilov’s Night Protests

Gakharia failed to act but did not give order to use rubber bullets, Public Defender reports

by OC Media

•3 min read

In her annual report to parliament, Public Defender Nino Lomjaria states that police officers used ‘non-lethal weapons’ unlawfully on the night of 20 June last year. However, they did so without being ordered by then-Interior Minister Giorgi Gakharia or his deputy ministers. The Public Defender’s office, which has been overseeing the ongoing investigation by Georgia’s Chief Prosecutor’s Office into allegations of excessive force led since last July, has confirmed that orders were given by ex-

Nino Lomjaria (left) and Tea Tsulukiani.

Georgia

Justice Minister accused of ‘spying’ on prison monitors

by OC Media

•4 min read

Georgian Justice Minister Tea Tsulukiani has been accused of ‘spying’ on prison monitors from the Public Defender’s Office after she published a video of one meeting a prisoner and criticised him for wearing ragged jeans and a hat. Tsulukiani published the video on 21 January in parliament in response to a prison monitoring report presented by Public Defender Nino Lomjaria. Lomjaria had demanded the report go before the parliament’s Human Rights Committee. The highly critical report po

Azerbaijan

Azerbaijani Georgian teacher made to apologise for protesting bride kidnapping

by OC Media

•3 min read

An ethnic Azerbaijani teacher in southeast Georgia’s Kvemo Kartli Region has been made to publicly apologise after reporting the kidnapping of one of his former students and criticising Georgia’s Azerbaijani community for endorsing bride kidnapping. Hamid Sadikh, a geography teacher in the village of Tezekendi in Gardabani Municipality, was widely criticised by other residents of the village after he made a Facebook post on 9 October criticising the incident. ‘One of my students, whom I u

Gas Supply

‘Gas leak’ explosion kills 4 and injures 8 in Tbilisi

by OC Media

•4 min read

An explosion in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, has left four people dead including a toddler, and eight others injured. Preliminary findings by the authorities suggest a gas leak was the cause of the blast. As investigations into several similar incidents that recently took place are still pending, officials called for changes in legislation to prevent future fatalities. Flags were flown at half-mast in government buildings on Thursday after Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze declared a day