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Thank you Mr Chair, I am delivering this statement on behalf of the participating States that, acting together, invoked paragraph 12 of the OSCE Moscow Mechanism in respect of Georgia: Albania, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Moldova, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia, Sweden, Ukraine and the United King...
Thank you Mr Chair, I am delivering this statement on behalf of the participating States that, acting together, invoked paragraph 12 of the OSCE Moscow Mechanism in respect of Georgia: Albania, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Moldova, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia, Sweden, Ukraine and the United Kingdom, as well as on behalf of Poland. We thank Professor Patrycja Grzebyk, Sole Rapporteur under the Moscow Mechanism, for her rigorous, independent and professional work, and for the comprehensive report presented to participating States today. The report provides a detailed and credible assessment of developments in Georgia since spring 2024 and offers clear recommendations addressed to the Georgian authorities, to participating States, and to the wider international community. At the same time, we welcome the decision of the Georgian authorities to facilitate a country visit by the Rapporteur and to organise high-level meetings with government institutions. We encourage the Georgian authorities to continue this engagement and to view the Rapporteur’s findings as a basis for constructive dialogue and reform. We also wish to express our deep appreciation to members of Georgian civil society, journalists, human rights defenders and other interlocutors who engaged with the Rapporteur. Their willingness to provide testimony and documentation was essential to the integrity and depth of this report. Their contribution underscores the vital role of civil society in any democratic society and the importance of ensuring an environment in which they can operate freely and safely. Mr Chair, 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.” The report identifies a pattern of violence and other abuses against protesters, political opponents and journalists, combined with what the Rapporteur describes as “almost complete impunity of perpetrators.” It further finds that, in some cases, the treatment of detainees “has arguably reached the threshold of torture” and that investigations into allegations of ill-treatment have been ineffective. Of particular concern is the conclusion that legislative changes have systematically restricted human rights and fundamental freedoms. The report finds that laws targeting so‑called “foreign influence”, alongside amendments affecting the media, assemblies, and political participation, have unduly limited freedoms of expression, association and peaceful assembly, and have had a chilling effect on civil society and independent media. The Rapporteur further warns that: “The ongoing attempt to ban the main opposition parties threatens the existence of political pluralism.” Taken together, these developments undermine human rights and fundamental freedoms and the rule of law to which Georgia has committed as an OSCE participating State. The Rapporteur notes that she assessed these developments while taking account of Georgia’s broader security context, which includes the ongoing Russian military presence in Georgia’s occupied breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Mr Chair, 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. Mr Chair, 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. Thank you.
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