Strengthening the protection and role of human rights defenders in Council of Europe member States

Amendment No. 2 | Doc. 13943 | 27 January 2016

Signatories:

Ms Chiora TAKTAKISHVILI, Georgia, ALDE ; Ms Dzhema GROZDANOVA, Bulgaria, EPP/CD ; Ms Meritxell MATEU, Andorra, ALDE ; Mr Pieter OMTZIGT, Netherlands, EPP/CD ; Ms Olena SOTNYK, Ukraine, ALDE ; Mr Emanuelis ZINGERIS, Lithuania, EPP/CD

Origin

2016 - First part-session

In the draft resolution, paragraph 4, after the first sentence, insert the following words:

"However, there have been alarming signs of deterioration in certain member States, including in Georgia, namely public attacks, threats to release material allegedly compromising to prominent human rights defenders, and physical attacks, pressure and intimidation against lawyers, including lawyers working on politically-sensitive cases."

Explanatory note

The amendment refers to the recent statements by 52 Georgian NGOs in reaction to the threats to release compromising material against prominent Human Rights defenders (TI, GYLA, ISFED) by the former Prime Minister and the reports by the Georgian Bar Association and the Council of Bar and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE).