IN SOLIDARITY WITH GEORGIAN CIVIL SOCIETY AND THE PEOPLE OF GEORGIA
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More than 50 human rights organizations from around the world signed a letter in solidarity with Georgian civil society, condemning the efforts of the Georgian government to introduce the law on the transparency of foreign influence.
A group of Georgian and international also addressed a letter to the main international financial insitutions operating in Georgia (Asian Development Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and the International Monetary Fund), to express concerns on the draft law and call on these financial institutions to condemn this attempt to stigmatize civil society organizations and stifle independent voices.
CHECK OUT THE LETTER AND ADD YOUR SIGNATURE HERE.
As human rights defenders across the globe, we are deeply troubled by efforts of the Georgian government to stifle civil society voices through the introduction of the law “on the transparency of foreign influence”.
To our friends and allies in Georgia, please know that we stand with you as you stand up against your government’s attempt to adopt the law, which clearly targets civil society organizations and independent media. This attack on freedoms of speech and assembly, as well as on basic and fundamental rights for a democratic and pluralist society affects all of us. It is an attempt to dehumanize and stigmatize civil society activity, something that runs contrary to Georgia’s human rights commitments, as well as international human rights standards and values.
In some of our own countries we too are witnessing similar developments designed to curtail accountability and defense of human rights. This kind of legislation has led to reprisals, attacks, red-tagging, imprisonments, abductions and killings of human rights defenders, environmental activists, legal professionals, journalists, workers, community leaders and other civil society actors. It is disturbing to see the same risks now facing the people of Georgia who have been fiercely fighting for liberty, independence, freedom and democracy for the past 35 years.
We stand in solidarity with the people of Georgia. We greatly appreciate your fight for freedom and democracy and we acknowledge that the adoption of this law in Georgia will have implications for our countries too.
We call on the Georgian government to vote down the draft law and return to the reform agenda which is so much needed for Georgia’s continued leadership in democratization and development.
As the Annual General Meeting of the Asian Development Bank takes place in Tbilisi in the coming days, we call on international financial institutions and other international partners of Georgia to publicly condemn this attack on human rights and democracy and publicly state their support to Georgian civil society and people of Georgia who demand democracy and human rights.
Signatures (organizations)
- Accountability Counsel | USA
- Action Paysanne Contre la Faim APCF | DRC
- African Law Foundation (AFRILAW) | Nigeria
- Alyansa Tigil Mina (Alliance to Stop Mining) | Philippines
- Amnesty International | Global
- Ardha Jabesa Foundation | Kenya
- Asia Indigenous Peoples Network on Extractive Industries and Energy (AIPNEE) | Asia
- Bank Climate Advocates | US
- Bank Information Center | US
- International Rivers | US
- Brot für die Welt | Germany
- Business & Human Rights Resource Centre | Global
- Cambio Sistémico | Mexico
- CEE Bankwatch | Czech Republic
- Centre for Community Mobilization and support NGO | Armenia
- Cohesión Comunitaria e Innovación Social | Mexico
- Collectif des ONG Œuvrant dans le secteur de mines, Environnement et Electricité COMEE| DRC
- Conseil Régional des Organisations Non Gouvernementales de Développement CRONGD | DRC
- Crude Accountability | US
- Deca Equipo Pueblos | Mexico
- FIDH (International Federation for Human Rights), within the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders | Global
- Freedom House | US
- Front Line Defenders | Ireland
- Global Rights | Nigeria
- Gobierno y Análisis Político AC (GAPAC) | Mexico
- Green Development Advocates | Cameroon
- HRM Bir Duino | Kyrgyzstan
- Indian Social Action Forum | India
- Iniciativas para el Desarrollo de la Mujer Oaxaqueña (IDEMO) | Mexico
- International Accountability Project | Global
- International Indigenous Fund for development and solidarity “Batani” (Batani Foundation) | Russia/USA
- Kashi Jermaine, Kwale Mining Alliance | Kenya
- Participatory Research & Action Network – PRAAN | Bangladesh
- Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law | Kazakhstan
- KRuHA – People’s coalition for the right to water | Indonesia
- Latinoamérica Sustentable, Regional | Latin America
- Lawyers’ Association for Human Rights of Nepalese Indigenous Peoples (LAHURNIP) | Nepal
- lM Defensoras | Latin America
- Otros Mundos Chiapas | Mexico
- OTWatch | Mongolia
- Phenix Center | Jordan
- Protection International (PI) | Belgium and Global
- Proyecto sobre Organización, Desarrollo, Educación e Investigación (PODER) | Latin America
- Recourse | Netherlands
- Rivers without Boundaries International Coalition | Global
- The Bretton Woods Project, United Kingdom
- Unidosc | Mexico
- Urgent Action Fund for Feminist Activism | Global
- Uzbek Forum for Human Rights | Germany
- Workers’ Assistance Center (WAC) | Philippines
- World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), within the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders | Global
- Yayasan Keadilan Iklim Indonesia (Climate Justice Indonesia Foundation) | Indonesia
- Yayasan Srikandi Lestari,( Srikandi Lestari Foundation) | Indonesia
Signatures (individuals)
- Maurice Ouma Odhiambo, Jamaa Resource Initiatives, Kenya
- Mirvari Gahramanli,Oil Worker’s Rights Protection Organization, Azerbaijan
- Nora Sausmikat, Urgewald/Germany
- Oleg Dulgaryan, Rights Defender, Armenia
- Eduardo Aguilar, independent human rights advocate, Mexico