Presentation of HR report “One Step Forward, Two Steps Back”

On December 10, 2004, the International Day for human rights,  the Human Rights Information and Documentation Center (HRIDC) held a presentation for its report “One Step Forward, Two Steps Back”.
 
The report mainly describes the prevailing situation in Georgia in the field of human rights after the “Rose Revolution.” It aims at providing the general public with information on human rights violations occurring in Georgia. The report also describes indicators determining the most recent tendencies in the field of human rights violations that have occurred during the present year.
 
According to the report, recent legislative and constitutional changes, which have challenged a republican-style balance of power, are of particular concern. Concrete facts surrounding human rights violations – the deprivation of the right to life, arbitrary detentions, torture and an increasing number of political prisoners – are given in the report as well.
 
According to the Director of HRIDC, Ucha Nanuashvili, despite these many negative changes some positive tendencies have also occurred, including: the changing of the totalitarian regime in Adjaria; several significant legislative changes that have been implemented, such as the Georgian Law on Freedom of Expression that was adopted by the Georgian parliament in June, 2004; the Patrol police, which was created by the new government and which already enjoys sympathy from within society; the regular payment of salaries and pensions; the improvement of public services  in the capital of Georgia (such as public transport).

The electronic version of the report is available at HRIDC web-site: www.humanrights.ge