Liberty Institute (Georgia)

Liberty Institute is a Georgian research and advocacy organization affiliated with Ilia Chavchavadze State University.[citation needed] The Institute provides legal services in the field of civil and human rights and conducts legislative activities.

History

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The Liberty Institute was founded in 1996.[1][better source needed]

On July 10, 2002, around 10 aggressors entered the office of the Liberty Institute and physically injured organization members Sozar Subari and ransacked the office.[2]

Giga Bokeria became the deputy chairman of the Committee on Legal Issues and a member of the Committee on Defense and Security.[3] Givi Targamadze became the chair of the Georgian Parliamentary Committee on Defense and Security.[4] In 2004, Sozar Subari was elected by the Parliament of Georgia as Public Defender (ombudsman) for a 5-year term.[5]

Konstantine Vardzelashvili was appointed as the Deputy Minister of Justice in 2004. Anna Zhvania was appointed initially as an advisor to the President in 2006, and then she was appointed as the first female head of the Foreign Intelligence Special Service of Georgia. Former executive director of the Liberty Institute, Akaki Minashvili, was elected to the Parliament of Georgia. In December 2008, he was elected as chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs. Before that, he was the deputy chairman of the Committee on Legal Issues.[6]

Activities

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In February 2003, a constitutional amendment backed by the Liberty Institute was adopted to introduce trial by jury in Georgia. In 1998–2000, anti-corruption campaigns by the Institute have been against the illegal business activities of then President Eduard Shevardnadze's family.[citation needed]

Since 2001, the Liberty Institute has carried out the anti-corruption campaign at the Tbilisi Ivane Javakhishvili State University. The LI denounced the attack on the Baptist Church by police in the Tianeti region. The Liberty Institute also created the youth movement Kmara in 2003 in Georgia.[7] The Law on the Freedom of Speech and Expression adopted by the Parliament of Georgia in 2004 was prepared by the LI.[8] In 2004, the Parliament of Georgia adopted the Law on Broadcasting.[9]

The Liberty Institute has a monthly magazine, Liberty.[citation needed]

References

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  1. ^ "About Us". Liberty Institute.
  2. ^ Tsamalashvili, Eka (July 10, 2002). "თავდასხმა თავისუფლების ინსტიტუტზე" [An attack on the institution of freedom]. Radio Freedom (in Georgian).
  3. ^ "George Bokeria - Parliament of Georgia".
  4. ^ "Giorgi Targamadze - Parliament of Georgia".
  5. ^ "Sozar Subari".
  6. ^ "Akaki Minashvili - Parliament of Georgia".
  7. ^ Kandelaki, Giorgi (July 2006). "United States Institute of Peace Special Report" (PDF). United States Institute of Peace. Washington, D.C., United States.
  8. ^ "მემორაწდუმი" [Memorandum] (PDF). Article 19 (in Georgian).
  9. ^ Abashina, Ekaterina (June 2016). "Public Service Media in Transcaucasian Countries". European Audiovisual Observatory. Strasbourg, France.
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