60th Session of the Human Rights Council
Item 2 General debate. Joint statement on the human rights situation in Georgia.
Tuesday, 9 September 2025
Mr President,
I deliver this statement on behalf of a group of 33 countries.
We would like to draw the Council’s attention to the deteriorating human rights situation in Georgia, in particular to the legislation adopted since 2024, which imposes restrictions on freedoms of expression, assembly and association and thus does not align with international human rights standards.
While protests in Georgia since November 2024 have been overwhelmingly peaceful, authorities have often used disproportionate force. Peaceful protesters, journalists, media workers, civil society, and political opponents have faced threats, assaults, harassment, and the freezing of their bank accounts.
We note with concern that criminal proceedings have been initiated against more than 100 individuals, with prominent opposition figures and dozens of protesters sentenced. All those arbitrarily detained, must be immediately released, including journalist Mzia Amaghlobeli, sentenced to two years in prison.
We regret that despite repeated appeals from the international community, impartial investigations into the use of force have not taken place, and the recommendations from the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders following her November 2023 country visit have not been implemented.
Therefore, we call on the Georgian authorities to stop the ongoing repressions, conduct impartial investigation of all human rights violations and engage in dialogue with the international community to break the cycle of impunity.