37 OSCE states urge Georgia to free unjustly detained

OSCE states urge Georgia to free detainees

37 OSCE countries have issued a statement on the human rights situation in Georgia, urging the authorities to immediately release all those unjustly detained.

The statement was signed by Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Malta, Moldova, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and Lithuania.

The document notes that Georgia’s municipal elections, scheduled for October 2025, will take place amid deep political polarisation and growing repression against government critics, with several opposition leaders currently in detention.

It also calls on the Georgian authorities to launch an inclusive national dialogue with all stakeholders to find a peaceful and democratic way out of the current crisis.

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“We reiterate our call to the Georgian authorities to investigate all allegations of excessive use of force by law enforcement officials and to hold to account those responsible. We strongly condemn the disproportionate sentencing of Mzia Amaglobeli, a prominent Georgian journalist, to two years in prison, and the latest prison sentences against several protestors. We call on the Georgian authorities to immediately release all those unjustly detained and we stress the need to uphold the independence of the judiciary and to ensure the right to a fair trial.

We urge the Georgian authorities to reaffirm their commitment to dialogue and the OSCE principles and commitments. We also call on Georgian authorities to open an inclusive national dialogue with all relevant stakeholders to find a peaceful and democratic solution to the ongoing crisis. The assistance of OSCE institutions such as ODIHR and RFOM may be particularly relevant to that matter. There remains an opportunity to shift course.

Finally we stand firmly with Georgia’s people and their pursuit of a democratic, stable and European future, with a vibrant civil society as the backbone of democratic pluralism and accountability. We remain open to cooperate with Georgia and unwaveringly committed to its sovereignty and territorial integrity, within its internationally recognized borders,” – the statement read.

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