Georgia’s State Security Service has launched an investigation into claims that Iran is expanding its influence in the country through Georgian Shi’ite communities, growing concerns about Tehran’s religious and political outreach in the South Caucasus country.
Category: South Caucasus News
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Georgian authorities on the OSCE Moscow Mechanism report
Georgia’s government criticized the report prepared under the OSCE Moscow Mechanism, saying it does not reflect the full picture of the country’s political and legal reality.
According to Georgia’s permanent representative to the OSCE, Alexander Maisuradze, the report contains factual inaccuracies, selective interpretations, and politically biased conclusions, calling its credibility into question.
On January 29, 2026, 24 OSCE member states launched a special investigation into Georgia under the so-called “Moscow Mechanism,” a tool used when there are suspicions of a serious deterioration of human rights in a country.
On March 12, following the investigation, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) published a report confirming a worsening situation regarding human rights and fundamental freedoms in Georgia.
The nearly 217-page report provides detailed information covering the period from the beginning of 2024 to the present, including:
- democratic backsliding,
- worsening human rights and media conditions,
- persecution of protesters and opposition figures,
- repression of dissent,
- existence of political prisoners,
- repressive legislation, and more.
The OSCE has activated this mechanism only 16 times in its history. The three previous cases before Georgia examined the situations in Turkmenistan, Belarus, and Chechnya (Russian Federation).
Reaction from Georgia‘s authorities
According to Alexander Maisuradze, the Georgian government expresses “deep concern” over the content of the report.
He said the document does not reflect the full complexity of the country’s political and legal context, ignores important clarifications provided by state institutions, and selectively highlights certain cases presented as “politically motivated.”
He also noted that parts of the report describing legislation, electoral processes, and investigative actions related to protest rallies contain factual inaccuracies and misleading interpretations.
Cooperation with the OSCE mission’s expert
According to Alexander Maisuradze, although Georgia initially expressed doubts about the political motives behind the use of the OSCE Moscow Mechanism, Tbilisi nevertheless cooperated with the mission’s expert.
He said the OSCE expert was in Georgia on February 17–18, 2026, and the authorities organized high-level meetings for him.
These included meetings with the prime minister, the speaker of parliament, the ministers of internal affairs, justice and education, as well as the chair of the High Council of Justice, and the heads of the prosecutor’s office, the Central Election Commission, the Communications Commission, and the Public Defender.
According to Georgia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the expert was provided with extensive written materials and given access to relevant documentation and institutions to enable him to prepare his assessment.
Accusations of politicization
According to Alexander Maisuradze, despite the cooperation, the final report is still based on selective information. In his view, the way the information is presented and the timing of the report’s publication point to a tendency toward politicization of its conclusions.
He said the report also ignores democratic reforms carried out by Georgia in recent years, the development of political pluralism, the strengthening of judicial independence, and progress in protecting human rights.
He also stressed that over the past decade the number of cases filed from Georgia with the European Court of Human Rights has decreased by more than 85%, which, he said, indicates the effectiveness of legal protection mechanisms within the country.
Accusations of exceeding the mission’s mandate
According to Alexander Maisuradze, some of the recommendations in the report go beyond the mandate of the OSCE Moscow Mechanism. He said the document contains calls for other international organizations and states to take action against Georgia, which exceeds the mission’s authority.
He also noted that the fact-finding mission repeatedly used the term “Republic of Georgia” in the report instead of the official name, “Georgia.”
Position of the Georgian government
The Georgian government categorically rejects the conclusions and recommendations presented in the report and calls on the OSCE and its member states to take into account the legal arguments and clarifications provided by Tbilisi.
According to Alexander Maisuradze, the response prepared by the Georgian authorities includes official positions and detailed explanations regarding the assumptions made by the mission, aiming to provide international partners with comprehensive factual information.
He also stated that the independence and impartiality of any monitoring or fact-finding mechanism are crucial for its credibility.
Maisuradze added that attempts to use international organizations as a political tool undermine their institutional neutrality and weaken trust in them.
He emphasized that Georgia remains committed to OSCE principles and its international obligations and continues to cooperate within the organization
News in Georgia
The report came after questions were raised earlier in the day when the new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, did not mention his mother’s death in his first statement, News.az reports.
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In the days following Khamenei’s killing, several state media outlets had reported that his wife had also been killed.
The post Khamenei’s wife is alive, IRGC outlet says, denying official reports appeared first on azeritimes.com.
According to a notice from the FBI obtained by ABC News, Iranian operatives may attempt to launch drones from a vessel located off the U.S. West Coast, targeting unspecified sites in California if the United States conducts military strikes against Iran, News.az reports, citing ABC News.
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The warning reportedly circulated among police departments in late February, around the time when the United States and Israel began conducting strikes against Iranian targets. The alert indicated that intelligence suggested Iran had considered a scenario in which unmanned aerial vehicles could be deployed from an unidentified ship positioned near American shores.
However, U.S. officials noted that the FBI currently has no additional information regarding the timing, method, or specific targets of the possible attack. The notice also did not clarify how a vessel carrying drones could approach close enough to the United States to carry out such a strike.
Authorities emphasized that the warning was issued out of caution as tensions in the Middle East continue to rise and security agencies monitor potential threats beyond the region.
The development comes amid an increasingly volatile confrontation involving Iran, the United States, and Israel, raising concerns that the conflict could spill over far beyond the Middle East.
The post Is Iran preparing to attack California with drone? appeared first on azeritimes.com.
OSCE Moscow Mechanism demands to Georgia
In a joint statement, 24 OSCE member states urged the Georgian government to fully implement the ‘Moscow Mechanism’ recommendations. The statement said: “The Rapporteur’s central finding is unambiguous. As the report states: “In the period covered by the mandate, a marked democratic backsliding has taken place in Georgia.”
On January 29, 2026, 24 OSCE member states launched a special investigation into Georgia under the so-called “Moscow Mechanism,” a tool used when there are suspicions of a serious deterioration of human rights in a country.
On March 12, following the investigation, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) published a report confirming a worsening situation regarding human rights and fundamental freedoms in Georgia.
The nearly 217-page report provides detailed information covering the period from the beginning of 2024 to the present, including:
- democratic backsliding,
- worsening human rights and media conditions,
- persecution of protesters and opposition figures,
- repression of dissent,
- existence of political prisoners,
- repressive legislation, and more.
The OSCE has activated this mechanism only 16 times in its history. The three previous cases before Georgia examined the situations in Turkmenistan, Belarus, and Chechnya (Russian Federation).
The Georgian authorities criticized the report, saying it does not reflect the full picture of the country’s political and legal reality. Georgia’s permanent representative to the OSCE, Alexander Maisuradze, stated that the report contains factual inaccuracies, selective interpretations, and politically biased conclusions, calling its reliability into question.
Demands to the Georgian authorities
The countries that signed the statement call on the Georgian authorities to continue engagement and to treat the rapporteur’s findings as a basis for constructive dialogue and reforms. The statement says:
“We urge Georgia to address democratic backsliding and implement in full the Moscow Mechanism recommendations. Today, we wish to highlight the following steps in particular:
First, the Georgian authorities should ensure that law enforcement acts in line with international standards, and conduct prompt, independent and impartial investigations into all allegations of torture and ill‑treatment, holding those responsible to account.
Second, Georgia should repeal or fundamentally revise legislation that is incompatible with its international human rights obligations and commitments, including laws on transparency of foreign influence, foreign agents registration, and related amendments affecting grants, broadcasting and political participation.
As the Rapporteur notes, these laws are not capable of being brought into compliance through minor amendments alone.
In doing so, we encourage the Georgian authorities to reestablish their cooperation with ODIHR and the Venice Commission and implement their recommendations in full.
Third, the authorities should refrain from arbitrary detention and prosecution of political opponents, journalists and other participants of public debate, withdraw arbitrarily brought charges, and release all persons detained for political reasons.
Fourth, Georgia should halt efforts to ban opposition parties, withdraw pending applications in this regard, and ensure that political pluralism is fully respected.
Finally, the report underscores the need to restore trust in the judiciary by strengthening judicial independence, ensuring fair trial guarantees, and reforming institutions such as the High Council of Justice in line with long‑standing OSCE and Venice Commission recommendations.
The Moscow Mechanism exists to support participating States in upholding their shared commitments in the human dimension. We, as invoking States, stand ready to support meaningful follow‑up, including through continued discussion in the Permanent Council and engagement with Georgian authorities and civil society as well as by seriously considering the Report’s recommendations to the OSCE Participating States and to the International Community.”
- Opinion: Georgia’s government risks becoming international pariah
- Germany, France and Poland express concern over repressive laws in Georgia
The joint statement was signed by the United Kingdom, Albania, Austria, Belgium, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Moldova, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia, Sweden, Ukraine, and Poland.
News in Georgia
OSCE Moscow Mechanism demands to Georgia
No official details were immediately available, but aerial news footage from over the synagogue showed plumes of smoke rising from the roof of the building, with police and fire department vehicles nearby, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
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Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said on CNN: “Nobody at the moment has been confirmed to be hurt except potentially the shooter.”
Temple Israel runs an early childhood center that provides childcare and education to children as young as 6 weeks old, according to its website.
FBI Director Kash Patel wrote on X: “FBI personnel are on the scene with partners in Michigan and responding to the apparent vehicle ramming and active shooter situation out of Temple Israel Synagogue in West Bloomfield Township, Michigan.”
The Jewish Federation of Detroit posted a message on its Facebook page saying its affiliated agencies were “currently in precautionary lockdown” in response to the Temple Israel incident.
Jewish organizations throughout the United States have been operating under heightened security since U.S. and Israeli warplanes initiated massive air strikes on Iran on February 28, sparking an intensifying war across the Middle East.
The post Shooting incident reported at Michigan synagogue, authorities confirm appeared first on azeritimes.com.
The investigation, called Venezuela II by the court, was referred to the court by Venezuela’s government in 2020, alleging that sanctions against the country had caused suffering and hardship, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
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The referral from now-deposed President Nicolas Maduro alleges the suffering of Venezuelans from “the application of unlawful coercive measures adopted unilaterally by the government of the United States of America against Venezuela, at least since the year 2014.”
Venezuela alleged that “murder, extermination, deportation, persecution and other inhumane acts constituting crimes against humanity” were committed, the OTP said.
The ICC prosecutor determined that the “evidential requirements of causation and intent are not met.”
The evidence “must provide a reasonable basis to believe that sanctions by the United States of America led to murder, displacement or other alleged crimes,” the OTP said.
The decision is unrelated to the January 2026 events in Venezuela, the prosecutor noted.
In January, the United States invaded Venezuela, arrested Maduro and his wife and took them to Manhattan, where they await trial on drug trafficking charges.
The ICC prosecutor said it is still investigating “Venezuela I,” a case that doesn’t involve the United States.
The post ICC prosecutor clears U.S. over sanctions in Venezuela case appeared first on azeritimes.com.
The Israeli military said its defence systems were operating to intercept the threat, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
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Israel’s Home Front Command said a missile hit an open area in central Israel.
The post Iran launches fresh missile strikes on Israel appeared first on azeritimes.com.