The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has adopted a resolution regarding Georgia.
elchi reports that 83 deputies voted in favor of the resolution, 5 voted against, and 4 abstained.
The document, titled “The Functioning of Democratic Institutions in Georgia,” notes that democratic backsliding continues in the country, and pressures against civil society, political opposition, and dissenting opinions have not diminished.
The resolution states that the weakening of democracy in Georgia and the failure to implement the Assembly’s previous recommendations raise serious questions about the country’s commitment to its obligations to the Council of Europe.
The document deems the initiative to ban democratic opposition parties and the politically motivated judicial prosecutions against their leaders as unacceptable. PACE has called on the Georgian authorities to withdraw the lawsuit submitted to the Constitutional Court in this regard.
The resolution also emphasizes that restricting the operational capacity of the democratic opposition, civil society, and independent media hinders the formation of an environment necessary for holding free and democratic elections in the country.
The Assembly has called on the Georgian authorities to initiate an open and inclusive political dialogue involving all political forces and representatives of civil society.
The document notes the necessity of ending restrictions on freedom of expression and assembly, as well as politically motivated persecutions against civil society organizations, independent media, and opposition representatives.
PACE has recommended a review of a number of recently adopted legislative changes, including the law “On Transparency of Foreign Influence,” the law “On Registration of Foreign Agents,” and amendments to legislation concerning grants.
The resolution also stresses the importance of a comprehensive investigation into allegations of police violence and human rights violations during protest actions. The Assembly expressed concern over reports regarding the use of prohibited chemical substances during the dispersal of protests in Tbilisi and called for an independent investigation into these allegations.
Furthermore, PACE has called on Georgia to fully implement the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights and to carry out the recommendations contained in the report prepared within the framework of the OSCE Moscow Mechanism.