Georgia: Attack to human rights organization

URGENT APPEAL - THE OBSERVATORY


                                            GEO 001 / 0011 / OBS 119
                     Attack on NGO / Theft of material and documents
                                                             GEORGIA
                                                  28th November 2000

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights, a joint
programme of the FIDH and the OMCT, requests your urgent
intervention in the following situation in Georgia.

Description of the situation 

The Observatory has been informed that on 11 November
2000, at around 5 A.M., the regional office of the Independent
Society «Human Rights in Georgia»(ISHRG) in Gori (Eastern
Georgia) was attacked by unidentified armed individuals. The
attackers, about 7 ­ 8 persons, destroyed the iron bars and an
iron door, attacked the watchman, crashed an inside wooden
door and devastated the office. They stole the equipment of the
office (brand new PENTIUM III computers, printer, UPS,
gasoline heater, telephone) as well as all the documentation.

The office started its activities in October 2000 when the
organisation started with the setting up of regional offices
resulting in the opening of regional offices in Zugidi and Gori.
The ISHRG plans to establish three more regional offices in
spring and to create local centres of human rights. However, it
has to be noted, that this will have to be done in a climate of
hostility.

The Observatory shares the fears of the ISHRG that these facts
are not simple criminal acts but also aim to neutralise the growing
influence of the third sector in Georgia especially in the human
rights field. The Observatory recalls that, according to article
12.2 of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by
the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 9th
1998, «The State shall take all necessary measures to ensure
the protection by the competent authorities of everyone,
individually and in association with others, against any violence,
threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination,
pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or
her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present
Declaration».

Actions requested 

Please write to the Georgian authorities demanding that
they 

i.-	order an immediate and independent investigation into this
attack, in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial
and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions as
provided by law ;

ii.-	abide by the provisions of the Declaration on Human Rights
Defenders adopted by the General Assembly of the United
Nations on December 9th 1998 («Declaration on the Rights
and Responsibility of individuals, Groups and Organs of Society
to Promote and Protect Universally Recognised Human Rights
and Fundamental Freedoms») and more particularly article 1,
which states that "everyone has the right, individually and in
association with others, to promote and to strive for the
protection and realisation of human rights and fundamental
freedoms at the national and international levels" and article 12.2
above mentioned ;

iii.-	more generally abide by the provisions of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights and the regional and the
international covenants ratified by Georgia.

Addresses 

Minister Mr. Kakha Targamadze, Ministry of Interior of
Georgia, 10 Gulua St, 380014,Tbilisi, Georgia.Fax(+ 99532)
99 95 24

Mr. Zurab Zhvania, Chairman of The Parliament, 8, Rustaveli
avenue, 380008, Tbilisi, Georgia. Fax(+ 99532) 99 95 94

Mrs. Elene Tevdoradze, Committe of Human rights of
Parliament, Tbilisi, Georgia. Fax(+ 99532) 92 33 50

Mrs. Nana Devdariani, Public Defender of Georgia, 11,
Machabeli street, 380007, Tbilisi, Georgia.  Fax(+ 99532)
922470   // (+ 99532) 92 24 78

Geneva-Paris, 28th September 2000

The Human Rights Action Network, a project of Derechos Human Rights, distributes appeals on behalf of victims of human rights violations. You are invited to join the network. Please check the date of the present action and do not write if it's over a month old.