European Commission calls for the release of journalists and political detainees in Georgia

The High Representative and Vice-President of the European Commission Kaja Kallas, and Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos said in a statement on Friday that the Georgian Dream authorities have taken “further steps away from democratic standards” and called on them to “release all journalists, activists and political detainees.” The statement by Kallas and Kos says that the rushed adoption of amendments to the Code on Administrative Offences, Criminal Code and the Law on Assemblies and Manifestations by Georgian Dream will have far-reaching effects on Georgian society and will significantly undermine the rights to freedom of expression, freedom of assembly, and media freedom.
 
These developments mark a serious setback for Georgia’s democratic development and falls short of any expectations of an EU candidate country, the Commissioners stated. They urged the authorities to suspend these measures, refrain from further tensions, and await the opinion of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), as requested by the Public Defender.
 
In their joint statement, Kallas and Kos declared that the Georgian authorities have resorted to intimidation tactics and violence to silence dissenting voices and that peaceful protesters, journalists, and opposition politicians have been targeted for exercising their fundamental rights. They added that the case of the currently detained journalist Mzia Amaglobeli is yet another such example on how the authorities are treating journalists and anyone who speaks freely. Mzia, currently on hunger strike, is a symbol of courage of all those unjustly detained, they said, and those responsible for the violence must be held accountable.
 
The Commissioners called on the Georgian authorities to release all journalists, activists and political detainees detained unjustly and urged the authorities to ensure a dialogue with all political forces and representatives of civil society. No option should be excluded to re-establish trust and dialogue, they insisted, and the recommendations of the OSCE/ODIHR report on the latest elections should be implemented as a matter of urgency. The European Union, they concluded, remained ready to support all efforts towards a democratic, stable, and European future for Georgia.

Source: commonspace.eu with agencies.