We, the signatory organizations, express our concern about the arbitrary detention of Sheikh Miratag Asadov, the chairman of the Supreme Religious Administration of Georgia's All Muslims, by the local police on the territory of Azerbaijan, and call on the authorities of Georgia and Azerbaijan, to take timely and effective measures to restore the rights of the detained cleric. 

Non-governmental organizations respond and condemn the xenophobic statement of Salome Zurabishvili, a presidential candidate supported by Georgian Dream.

Civil society organizations and groups working on protection of human rights in Georgia are extremely concerned about the violence and threats committed on homophobic motives against four activists of the organization Equality Movement in Tbilisi. We call on law enforcement agencies to investigate the case in a timely and effective manner in order to address difficult situation with just and human rights-based approach and to restore activities of the Equality Movement.

We would like to respond to the recent developments that have taken place in the country, which are indicative of a severe crisis in the governance system, clear signs of grand corruption and informal clan rule in Georgia. We believe that the control exercised by an influential group over public institutions and its use of those institutions for the promotion of narrow group interests is a precursor towards the breakdown of the public institutions.

We would like to respond to the incident of gross interference with the right to peaceful assembly by the police, which took place at a protest rally organized by Zaza Saralidze and Malkhaz Machalikashvili in front of the Parliament in Tbilisi on September 26, 2018.  As confirmed by news reports, the protesters were planning to put up a tent on the pavement, which would not have caused interruption/blocking of the functioning of the Parliament building.