Estonian E-Tiger Leaping to Georgia: Added Value of Estonian Development Cooperation

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Estonian E-Tiger Leaping to Georgia: Added Value of Estonian Development Cooperation Estonian e-Tiger Leaping to Georgia: Added Value of Estonian Development Cooperation Evelin Andrespok University of Helsinki Faculty of Social Sciences Development Studies Master‘s Thesis May 2014 Tiedekunta/Osast o – Fakultet/Sektion – Faculty Laitos – Institution – Department Faculty of Social Sciences Department of Political and Economic Studies Tekijä – Författare – Author Evelin Andrespok Työn nimi – Arbetets titel – Title Estonian e-Tiger Leaping to Georgia: Added Value of Estonian Development Cooperation Oppiaine – Läroämne – Subject Development Studies Työn laji – Arbetets art – Level Aika – Datum – Month and year Sivumäärä – Sidoantal – Number of pages Master’s May 2014 79 + references Tiivistelmä – Referat – Abstract Estonia became a donor of development assistance in 1998 as it was in the process of joining the EU. Since the early days of being a donor, the Estonian approach has been to share its transition experience with other countries that share a similar past with the country. This thesis explores why and how Estonia aspires to offer added value with its development cooperation through sharing its transition experience and to what is the impact of its assistance. More precisely, this thesis takes a qualitative project level look at the added value of Estonian development cooperation by examining how Estonia shared its experience of computerising schools with the Republic of Georgia though the educational reform titled Deer Leap. Conceptualising sharing transition experience as a tool for democratisation, and thereby development, it argues that the unique added value that Estonia offers to developing countries is the “transition experience” itself, because there is personal expertise gathered from implementing the very same reforms in Estonia. Also, Estonia the partner countries see Estonia as role model in moving towards the EU. These conclusions are helpful for understanding whether at all and to what extent a small donor like Estonia can support positive developments and democratisation in partner countries. Avainsanat – Nyckelord – Keywords transition experience, democratisation, added value, ICT in education, Tiger Leap, Deer Leap, Estonia, Republic of Georgia 1 Table of contents List of abbreviations .......................................................................................................... 3 I Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 4 1.1. Problem statement .......................................................................................... 4 1.2. Research questions ......................................................................................... 5 1.3. Estonia as a donor country ............................................................................. 7 1.4. Background of the case study ......................................................................... 9 1.5. Estonian logic of sharing transition experience ........................................... 13 1.6. Literature review .......................................................................................... 17 1.7. Significance of the thesis .............................................................................. 21 1.8. Limitations of the study ................................................................................ 22 1.9. Structure of the thesis ................................................................................... 23 II Description of the Georgian case ................................................................................ 24 2.1. Georgia as a recipient of development assistance ........................................ 24 2.2. Estonian- Georgian development cooperation ............................................. 28 III Democratisation through sharing transition experience ............................................. 31 3.1. Democracy and development ....................................................................... 31 3.2. Evaluating the transfer of experiences between countries ........................... 34 3.3.1. Relevance ...................................................................................... 37 3.3.2. Ownership ...................................................................................... 39 3.3.3. Sustainability ................................................................................. 41 3.3. Data collection and interviewees .................................................................. 43 IV From Tiger Leap to Deer Leap .................................................................................. 45 4.1. Developing the programme idea .................................................................. 45 4.2. Description of the programme ...................................................................... 48 4.3. Termination of the programme .................................................................... 54 V Impact of the programme ............................................................................................ 61 5.1. Effectiveness of the intervention .................................................................. 61 5.1.2. Relevance ...................................................................................... 61 5.1.3. Ownership ...................................................................................... 64 5.1.5. Sustainability ................................................................................. 68 5.2. Democratisation and development ............................................................... 71 5.3. Added value of Estonian assistance ............................................................. 74 VI Conclusion ................................................................................................................. 76 References ....................................................................................................................... 80 2 List of abbreviations DLF Deer Leap Foundation EaP EU Eastern Partnership eGA e-Governance Academy EMFA Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs EU European Union EU-12 12 countries that joined the EU between 2004-2007 (Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Romania) ESIDA Educational and Scientific Infrastructure Development Agency GDP gross domestic product GNI gross national income ICT information and communications technology IMF International Monetary Fund MFA Ministry of Foreign Affairs MoES Ministry of Education and Science ODA official development assistance OECD Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development OSF Open Society Foundation TLF Tiger Leap Foundation UN United Nations UNDP United Nations Development Programme 3 “It's not the Tech, it's all about the Teach.” - Ewan McIntosh I Introduction 1.1. Problem statement Development is a complex process with several stakeholders and nuances. In fact, the concept is so puzzling that there is less and less agreement about what ―development‖ even means, what are the principles it is supposed to entail and the values it ought to carry. However, there seems to be increasingly more support to the idea that whatever the exact measure of development might be for anyone, the common notion is that those who have can share their material and immaterial resources with the have-nots to reach a better future. Estonia as a young development donor has decided that the most valuable resource it has to offer to other countries is its own experience of social transitions during the past 20 odd years. After restoring independence from the Soviet Union, Estonia has gone through enormous reforms in nearly all sectors, including tax policy, health care, education, judicial system and many more. Some of these reforms have been more successful than others, but based on the fact that the country has now joined the European Union (EU) and is an active member of other international organisations, it is clear that in general the developments have improved the country and taken it from the have-nots category to the haves category. By moving from an aid-recipient country to a donor of development assistance in the late 1990s, Estonia had to formulate its identity and guiding principles as a donor country. One of the foundations of the new identity is exactly the personal experience of transition over the past decades. My thesis will explore why and how such a policy choice has been made, and more importantly, what has been the impact of it. More precisely, this thesis takes a qualitative project level look at the added value of Estonian development cooperation by examining how Estonia shared its experience of computerising all schools with the Republic of Georgia. The educational reform programme titled Deer Leap was implemented by transferring Estonia‘s know- 4 how of its own transition process with incorporating ICT into education to Georgia. The programme was managed by the Georgian government and implemented in partnership with the e-Governance Academy (eGA), which at the time was the biggest Estonian non-governmental non-profit development organisation. My analysis is based on the empirical data of the people who participated in the programme as well as some secondary data from the programme documents. What is more, since the Estonian economy is very small compared to its European counterparts, and since Estonian living conditions for many people are much below the EU average, it has been quite
Recommended publications
  • Georgia Between Dominant-Power Politics, Feckless Pluralism, and Democracy Christofer Berglund Uppsala University
    GEORGIA BETWEEN DOMINANT-POWER POLITICS, FECKLESS PLURALISM, AND DEMOCRACY CHRISTOFER BERGLUND UPPSALA UNIVERSITY Abstract: This article charts the last decade of Georgian politics (2003-2013) through theories of semi- authoritarianism and democratization. It first dissects Saakashvili’s system of dominant-power politics, which enabled state-building reforms, yet atrophied political competition. It then analyzes the nested two-level game between incumbents and opposition in the run-up to the 2012 parliamentary elections. After detailing the verdict of Election Day, the article turns to the tense cohabitation that next pushed Georgia in the direction of feckless pluralism. The last section examines if the new ruling party is taking Georgia in the direction of democratic reforms or authoritarian closure. nder what conditions do elections in semi-authoritarian states spur Udemocratic breakthroughs?1 This is a conundrum relevant to many hybrid regimes in the region of the former Soviet Union. It is also a ques- tion of particular importance for the citizens of Georgia, who surprisingly voted out the United National Movement (UNM) and instead backed the Georgian Dream (GD), both in the October 2012 parliamentary elections and in the October 2013 presidential elections. This article aims to shed light on the dramatic, but not necessarily democratic, political changes unleashed by these events. It is, however, beneficial to first consult some of the concepts and insights that have been generated by earlier research on 1 The author is grateful to Sten Berglund, Ketevan Bolkvadze, Selt Hasön, and participants at the 5th East Asian Conference on Slavic-Eurasian Studies, as well as the anonymous re- viewers, for their useful feedback.
    [Show full text]
  • Who Owned Georgia Eng.Pdf
    By Paul Rimple This book is about the businessmen and the companies who own significant shares in broadcasting, telecommunications, advertisement, oil import and distribution, pharmaceutical, privatisation and mining sectors. Furthermore, It describes the relationship and connections between the businessmen and companies with the government. Included is the information about the connections of these businessmen and companies with the government. The book encompases the time period between 2003-2012. At the time of the writing of the book significant changes have taken place with regards to property rights in Georgia. As a result of 2012 Parliamentary elections the ruling party has lost the majority resulting in significant changes in the business ownership structure in Georgia. Those changes are included in the last chapter of this book. The project has been initiated by Transparency International Georgia. The author of the book is journalist Paul Rimple. He has been assisted by analyst Giorgi Chanturia from Transparency International Georgia. Online version of this book is available on this address: http://www.transparency.ge/ Published with the financial support of Open Society Georgia Foundation The views expressed in the report to not necessarily coincide with those of the Open Society Georgia Foundation, therefore the organisation is not responsible for the report’s content. WHO OWNED GEORGIA 2003-2012 By Paul Rimple 1 Contents INTRODUCTION .........................................................................................................3
    [Show full text]
  • Monitoring Court Proceedings of the Cases with Alleged Political Motives
    MONITORING COURT PROCEEDINGS OF THE CASES WITH ALLEGED POLITICAL MOTIVES Summary Report 2020 MONITORING COURT PROCEEDINGS OF THE CASES WITH ALLEGED POLITICAL MOTIVES Summary Report THE REPORT WAS PREPARED BY HUMAN RIGHTS CENTER AUTHOR: GIORGI TKEBUCHAVA EDITED BY: ALEKO TSKITISHVILI GIORGI KAKUBAVA TRANSLATED BY: NIKOLOZ JASHI MONITORS: ANI PORCHKHIDZE TAMAR KURTAULI NINO CHIKHLADZE 2020 MONITORING COURT PROCEEDINGS OF THE CASES WITH ALLEGED POLITICAL MOTIVES Non-governmental organization the HUMAN RIGHTS CENTER, formerly the Human Rights Information and Documentation Center (HRC) was founded on December 10, 1996 in Tbilisi, Georgia. The HRIDC aims to increase respect for human rights, fundamental freedoms and facilitate the peace-building process in Georgia. To achieve this goal, it is essential to ensure that authorities respect the rule of law and principles of transparency and separation of powers, to eliminate discrimination at all levels, and increase awareness and respect for human rights among the people in Georgia. THE HUMAN RIGHTS CENTER IS A MEMBER OF THE FOLLOWING INTERNATIONAL NETWORKS: International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH); www.fidh.org World Organization against Torture (SOS-Torture – OMCT Network); www.omct.org Human Rights House Network; www.humanrightshouse.org Coalition for International Criminal Court; www.coalitionfortheicc.org ADDRESS: Akaki Gakhokidze Str. 11a, 3rd Floor, 0160 Tbilisi Tel: (+995 32) 237 69 50, (+995 32) 238 46 48 Fax: (+995 32) 238 46 48 Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.humanrights.ge; http://www.hridc.org The Report was prepared with the financial support of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED). The Report does not necessarily reflect the views of the donor.
    [Show full text]
  • Public Defender of Georgia
    2018 The Public Defender of Georgia www.ombudsman.ge 1 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PUBLIC DEFENDER OF GEORGIA, 2018 This publication has been produced with the assistance of the European Union. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of the author and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union. 2 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PUBLIC DEFENDER OF GEORGIA THE SITUATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS IN GEORGIA 2018 2018 www.ombudsman.ge www.ombudsman.ge 3 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PUBLIC DEFENDER OF GEORGIA, 2018 OFFICE OF PUBLIC DEFENDER OF GEORGIA 6, Ramishvili str, 0179, Tbilisi, Georgia Tel: +995 32 2913814; +995 32 2913815 Fax: +995 32 2913841 E-mail: [email protected] 4 CONTENTS INTRODUCTION.............................................................................................................................................13 1. FULFILMENT OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS MADE BY THE PUBLIC DEFENDER OF GEORGIA IN THE 2017 PARLIAMENTARY REPORT ......................................................................19 2. RIGHT TO LIFE .....................................................................................................................................28 2.1. CASE OF TEMIRLAN MACHALIKASHVILI .............................................................................21 2.2. MURDER OF JUVENILES ON KHORAVA STREET ...............................................................29 2.3. OUTCOMES OF THE STUDY OF THE CASE-FILES OF THE INVESTIGATION CONDUCTED ON THE ALLEGED MURDER OF ZVIAD GAMSAKHURDIA, THE FIRST
    [Show full text]
  • Georgia National Integrity System Assessment 2020
    Georgia National Integrity System Assessment 2020 The publication was prepared with the financial support of the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Transparency International Georgia bears the sole responsibility for the content of this report. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Contents Executive Summary _____________________________________________________ 5 Introduction: About NIS Assessment ____________________________________ 10 Country Profile: Foundations of the National Integrity System ___________ 15 Corruption Profile _______________________________________________________ 19 Anti-Corruption Activities _______________________________________________ 20 Parliament ______________________________________________________________ 22 Executive Branch ________________________________________________________ 37 Judiciary __________________________________________________________________ 51 Public Administration _____________________________________________________ 65 Law Enforcement Agencies ______________________________________________ 78 Electoral Administration _________________________________________________ 95 Public Defender _________________________________________________________ 104 State Audit Office _______________________________________________________ 113 Political Parties ________________________________________________________ 123 Media __________________________________________________________________ 135 Civil Society ____________________________________________________________
    [Show full text]
  • Human Rights in Georgia
    200 7 The Public Defender of Georgia Report of the Public Defender of Georgia 1 Human Rights in Georgia Report of the Public Defender of Georgia 2007Second half of TBILISI 2008 The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent those of the United Nations or UNDP. UNITED NATIONS PUBLIC DEVELOPMENT DEFENDER PROGRAMME OF GEORGIA THE REPORT WAS PUBLISHED WITH FINANCIAL SUPPORT OF THE UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (UNDP) CONTENTS 1. POLITICAL PERSECUTION 9 2. FREEDOM OF ASSEMBLY AND MANIFESTATION 18 3. FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND EXPRESSION 47 4. PRESUMPTION OF INNOCENCE 78 5. 5 JANUARY 2008 EXTRAORDINARY PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS: FACTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 85 6. THE STATE OF HUMAN RIGHTS CONDITIONS IN PSYCHIATRIC INSTITUTIONS AND THE RIGHTS OF PATIENTS PARTICIPATING IN ELECTIONS 100 7. RIGHT TO A FAIR TRIAL 104 8. ENFORCEMENT OF COURT JUDGMENTS 113 9. PROSECUTORS OFFICE AND HUMAN RIGHTS 117 10. MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS AND HUMAN RIGHTS 125 11. MONITORING OF TEMPORARY DETENTION ISOLATORS AND POLICE UNITS OF THE MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS AND GUARDHOUSE OF THE MINISTRY OF DEFENSE OF GEORGIA 129 12. PENITENTIARY SYSTEM 133 13. CAUSES AND FACTORS AFFECTING MORTALITY RATE AT GEORGIAN PENITENTIARY INSTITUTIONS 138 14. PROTECTION OF THE RIGHTS OF PEOPLE LIVING IN CONFLICT ZONES 170 15. PROTECTION OF THE RIGHTS OF INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS (IDP) 174 16. PROTECTION OF REFUGEES RIGHTS 180 17. FREEDOM OF INFORMATION 185 18. VIOLATION OF THE RIGHT TO PROPERTY 187 19. SOCIAL PROTECTION 191 20. RIGHTS OF DISABLED PEOPLE 196 21. THE RIGHTS OF A CHILD 201 22. GENDER EQUALITY ISSUES 209 23. VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN IN GEORGIA 211 24.
    [Show full text]
  • Undue Punishment RIGHTS Abuses Against Prisoners in Georgia WATCH September 2006 Volume 18, No
    Georgia HUMAN Undue Punishment RIGHTS Abuses against Prisoners in Georgia WATCH September 2006 Volume 18, No. 8(D) Undue Punishment Abuses against Prisoners in Georgia Summary......................................................................................................................................... 1 Background .................................................................................................................................... 6 The Georgian Prison System .................................................................................................. 6 Organized Crime in Georgia................................................................................................... 9 Organized Crime in the Georgian Penitentiary System....................................................10 Government Efforts to Combat Organized Crime...........................................................11 Methodology................................................................................................................................13 Georgia’s International Obligations.........................................................................................15 Conditions in Prisons and the Treatment of Prisoners.........................................................20 Overcrowding in Penitentiary Facilities...............................................................................20 Government explanations for overcrowding.................................................................21 Conditions of overcrowding.............................................................................................24
    [Show full text]
  • Pre-Election Media Environment, Report 2016
    Authors: GELA BOCHIKASHVILI, MARIAM PATARIDZE Researcher: EREKLE MAISURADZE Editor: TAMAR KINTSURASHVILI Peer review by NINO DANELIA Design by TAMAR TABATADZE © 2016, Media Development Foundation MDFGEORGIA.GE MEDIAMETER.GE 1 2 INTRODUCTION With the support of the National Endowment for Democracy, NED, the Media Development Foundation (MDF) publishes periodic reports on media freedom in Georgia. This report overviews pre-election media environment for the period of 2016. Reports rest on the analysis of documents, official information requested from public entities and media reports. This report consists of six chapters covering the following topics: the first chapter overviews legislative amendments proposed in 2016; the second is dedicated to the financial and business environment; followed by media ownership cases; fourth chapter concerns staff changes and closure of the TV programs in 2016; fact of violations of journalists rights are reviewed in the fifth charter, while final part of the report is dedicated to the election related issues. MAIN FINDINGS Following trends were revealed in the period January 1 – September 23, 2016: Legislative environment The first half of 2016 saw media-related legislative changes to two laws. 1) The Election Code was amended to increase the number of qualified electoral subjects eligible for free advertising time in pre-election period; 2) the Law on Broadcasting was amended to a) require from national and local general broadcasters to air programs in the state language; b) set a minimal length of digital broadcasting (12 hours); and c) clarify the rule of applying sanctions by the Georgian National Communications Commission. Financial and business environment ● Georgian TV channels reported an accumulated GEL 41.7 million of revenues during six months of 2016 (January–June) that is by GEL 1.7 million less than in the same period of 2015.
    [Show full text]
  • Georgia's Democratic Development: Challenges and Problems
    Georgia’s Democratic Development: Challenges and Problems Report by GRASS (Georgia’s Reforms Associates) November 2014 Tbilisi Georgia’s Democratic Development: Challenges and Problems TABLE OF CONTENTS: 1. POLITICAL LANDSCAPE ------------------------------------------------------------3 2. THE PARLIAMENT -------------------------------------------------------------------10 3. THE GOVERNMENT ------------------------------------------------------------------17 4. THE JUDICIARY -----------------------------------------------------------------------27 5. THE ELECTORAL SUSTEM AND THE SYSTEM OF SELF GOVERNANCE --30 6. THE GEORGIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH AND ITS ROLE IN THE POLITICAL LIFE -------------------------------------------------------------36 7. PROTECTION OF MINORITY RIGHTS IN GEORGIA ---------------------------41 8. STATE OF THE MEDIA ---------------------------------------------------------------43 9. CIVIL SOCIETY -------------------------------------------------------------------------48 GRASS Restricted Georgia’s Democratic Development: Challenges and Problems 1. POLITICAL LANDSCAPE This section will cover the political landscape of the country, the role of political parties and other influential groups, their interaction and interplay, the major trends and characteristics of Georgia’s political system as well as the general mood of society. Political parties and strong personalities After the 2012 parliamentary election, a bi-party, bi-polar political system emergeD, with the Georgian Dream Coalition (GD) in power (leD by former Prime
    [Show full text]
  • Georgia in Transition
    GEORGIA IN TRANSITION State-building and democratization in the Caucasus A COLLECTION OF RESEARCH ESSAYS FROM THE 2019 UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO INTERNATIONAL COURSE MODULE Table of Contents Introduction Robert C Austin i ‘Reel’ Prospects of Integration: The Role of Georgia’s Film Sector in EU Integration Massimo Chiarella 1 LGBTQ Rights and Georgia’s European Union Aspirations Gloria Dragić 17 European Integration Through Education: A Case Study of Georgian Education Reform Mia Đurković 34 An Analysis of the Regional Development Programme of Georgia 2015-2017: Its Successes and Failures in Ameliorating Regional Disparities and Facilitating European Integration via Supporting Agriculture Mathuja Jeyakumar 52 Dealing with Saakashvili’s Legacy: Georgia’s Transitional Justice Efforts and Reforms to the Justice System Anahid Najafizadeh 72 Feminism v Patriarchy: Georgia’s European Integration Efforts Through Female Political Participation Tami Piovesan 89 Silencing the Georgian People: Freedom of Expression, Government Interference, and Structural Constraints on Georgia’s Media Environment Sanjana Shah 109 Introduction I am delighted to say a few words of introduction about the wonderful student essays that follow. But first, some context. The International Course Module (ICM) is funded by the Faculty of Arts and Science at the University of Toronto. Additional support comes from my home unit, the Centre for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy. I have been travelling with students for field research for 15 years. We have gone to Albania, Azerbaijan, Bosnia, Czechia, Greece, Hungary, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Tunisia. These trips have been with groups of graduate students and undergraduate students.
    [Show full text]
  • Zone Deprived of Rights
    Zone deprived of rights (Collection of materials describing the cases of violation of fundamental human rights and freedoms in Georgia) 1 2 The book is based on the materials from the Ombudsman’s annual report, as well as on the facts uncovered by various human rights organizations and independent journalistic investigations. Zone deprived of rights (Collection of materials describing the cases of violation of fundamental human rights and freedoms in Georgia) Publisher: “Isrotiuli Memkvidreoba” (“Historical Heritage”) Tbilisi, 2009 3 4 Foreword Facade democracy – is the major problem in Georgia. Beyond this facade multitude of citizens deprived of their values and rights, disrespected and in- timidated live, are imprisoned, or merely buried... This is visibly proved by the words of the journalist Stephan Scholl from Frankfurter Rundschau: “Europe has an idealized picture of what is happen- ing here. I have been in Georgia for a few days and I have such an impression that there is a two-storey Georgia. The first floor Georgia is displayed to for- eigners, the representatives of the western governments. Everything is superb here... However, I happened to go up to the second floor Georgia too and the real- ity here is completely different. I met the people whose children despite the lack of evidence were charged for murder and sentenced to many - more than thirty - years of imprisonment... I met those people and they are rather scared, scared to give even their names. Plea bargaining is rampant here and, if you have money, this issues could be solved... it is odd... Hence, the situation is not as perfect as it seems from the first floor.” The book we are offering tells about “the second-floor” Georgia.
    [Show full text]
  • Monitoring the Parliamentary Elections of October 31, 2020
    MONITORING THE PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS OF OCTOBER 31, 2020 2021 Monitoring the Parliamentary Elections of October 31, 2020 THE REPORT WAS PREPARED BY HUMAN RIGHTS CENTER AUTHORS: Giorgi Tkebuchava, Nino Tsagareishvili EDITOR: Aleko Tskitishvili TRANSLATED BY: Nikoloz Jashi PHOTO ON COVER: Lia Khuroshvili and Nino Liparteliani/RHC’s Observers Non-governmental organization the HUMAN RIGHTS CENTER, formerly the Human Rights Information and Documentation Center (HRC) was founded on December 10, 1996 in Tbilisi, Georgia. The HRIDC aims to increase respect for human rights, fundamental freedoms and facilitate the peace-building process in Georgia. To achieve this goal, it is essential to ensure that authorities respect the rule of law and principles of transparency and separation of powers, to eliminate discrimination at all levels, and increase awareness and respect for human rights among the people in Georgia. THE HUMAN RIGHTS CENTER IS A MEMBER OF THE FOLLOWING INTERNATIONAL NETWORKS: International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH); www.fidh.org World Organization against Torture (SOS-Torture – OMCT Network); www.omct.org Human Rights House Network; www.humanrightshouse.org Coalition for International Criminal Court; www.coalitionfortheicc.org ADDRESS: Akaki Gakhokidze Str. 11a, 3rd Floor, 0160 Tbilisi TEL: (+995 32) 237 69 50, (+995 32) 238 46 48 FAX: (+995 32) 238 46 48 Email: [email protected] WEBSITE: http://www.humanrights.ge; hrc.ge The Report is published with the financial support of the Open Society Foundation and the Norwegian Helsinki Committee. The views expressed by the authors in the report may not necessarily reflect the positions of the Foundation and the Committee. Accordingly, the Foundation and Committee are not responsible for the content of the material.
    [Show full text]