On the morning of September 12, Russian forces launched a series of missile strikes on the village of Bitytsia in the Sumy region of Ukraine. The attack resulted…
Day: September 12, 2025
37 OSCE member states issued a joint statement on Georgia, highlighting the deteriorating human rights situation, calling for the release of those “unjustly detained,” and expressing regret over the Georgian Dream government’s last-minute invitation to the ODIHR, which they said did not allow for “meaningful observation” of the upcoming local elections in Georgia, scheduled for October 4. Notably, the United States was not among the signatories.
The September 11 joint statement was signed by Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Croatia, Czechia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Malta, Moldova, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine and the United Kingdom.
The signatories expressed their “deep and unchanged concerns” over the human rights situation in Georgia, regretting that their concerns in past communications “have gone unacknowledged” and that the authorities have not acted against the deteriorating rights situation, which they said contradicts Georgia’s OSCE commitments.
The signatories stressed that Georgia’s upcoming local elections will be held “in a climate of heavy political polarization and in a context of growing repression against authorities’ critics, with several opposition leaders being imprisoned.” They cited Georgian Dream–backed changes to the electoral legislation, saying they raise concerns about the integrity of the vote, “particularly regarding transparency and public trust.”
“Monitoring of the local elections is particularly needed in this context, as reminded publicly by ODIHR on 7 July 2025,” the statement said. “Therefore, it is regrettable that no timely invitation has been sent to ODIHR to allow for meaningful observation. This break with Georgia’s longstanding practice is deeply worrying.”
Underscoring the continued state repression against citizens, political opposition, civil society, and journalists, the signatories reiterated their 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.”
More than 30 people have been sentenced to years in prison in protest-related trials, while no police officer has been held accountable, despite numerous documented cases.
The signatories “strongly condemn” what they called the “disproportionate sentencing” of journalist Mzia Amaghlobeli, who received a two-year prison term for slapping Batumi Police Chief Irakli Dgebuadze during a tense protest, as well as other recent prison sentences against protesters. “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.
The signatories urged Georgia to reaffirm its commitment to dialogue and OSCE principles. They called on the authorities to launch an “inclusive national dialogue” with all 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,” the statement said.
It concluded by expressing firm support for the Georgian people and their pursuit of a “democratic, stable and European future, with a vibrant civil society as the backbone of democratic pluralism and accountability,” while underscoring commitment to Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders.
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