Opinion: ‘Georgian Dream seeks pretext to shut NGOs and leave citizens defenceless’
Opinion on cases against NGOs in Georgia
Eka Gigauri, executive secretary of Transparency International Georgia, commented on the ongoing investigation against Georgian NGOs, saying the Georgian Dream government was “looking for a pretext to shut down NGOs and leave citizens alone in the face of lawlessness and oppression, without any help.”
Tbilisi City Court has granted a prosecution request to freeze the bank accounts of several NGOs. The Georgian prosecutor’s office released a statement on the decision.
The case concerns an investigation under articles on “sabotage,” “attempted sabotage under aggravating circumstances,” “assisting a foreign organisation or an organisation under foreign control in hostile activities,” and “raising funds for activities directed against Georgia’s constitutional order and the foundations of national security.”
Asked whether other NGOs not yet targeted could also face prosecution, Gigauri replied that nothing could be ruled out.
Eka Gigauri, executive secretary of Transparency International Georgia:
“The goal is clear: they are looking for a pretext to shut down NGOs. I still believe what troubles them most is the legal aid we provide to people, so their main aim is to leave citizens alone in the face of lawlessness and oppression, without help.
We rule nothing out. Any legal assessment of the cases [against NGOs] is meaningless — everything is absolutely unlawful, just like with prisoners of conscience. There is no legal evidence in the ongoing investigations.”
“Only the Georgian people can change the Georgian Dream government — it is their decision alone. That is why we demand fair elections. There must be new, fair parliamentary elections with independent institutions so that the Georgian people can vote. <…>
But Georgian Dream is capturing institutions and preventing the people from making their choice in a free environment.
This is exactly what Georgian Dream’s policy is aimed at: fair elections here are impossible, and no one is allowed to say otherwise. They do not let the media or NGOs, especially observer organisations, expose electoral fraud.”
“I remember when we, the leaders of ten NGOs, stood outside the courthouse as [sanctioned judge – JAMnews] Murusidze was granted a lifetime position at the Tbilisi Court of Appeals. Afterwards we spread the word that we would hold a rally and went out with posters.
There were only ten of us, but we knew we had to oppose that decision, because no one should be left alone against the judicial system. The same happened with the appointment of [sanctioned judge] Chinchaladze.
Today’s reality is very sad — many have suffered. But we always spoke about it. Of course, we should have acted more decisively back then, but we had our reasons — at that time not so many people had been affected.
These judges have not changed; they have always been the same, even under the previous government. Now, on top of everything else, they are corrupt, they have enriched themselves illegally and they protect their property.
I believe the time will come in our country when these judges will be held accountable for the pain they caused and for all the decisions they made.”
