The report Georgia: A Flickering Beacon of Democracy, covers 2007 political and legal events and highlights the still relevant and glaring human rights abuses occurring in the country. Included are stories and reports from the recent suppression of political demonstrations, the election, the taking of property without compensation, police brutality, freedom of expression and media, the military, and children’s rights. The introduction also includes summaries of human rights issues released by other international non-governmental organizations.In particular, the report discusses the Law on the Elimination of Domestic Violence, Protection of and Assistance to the Violence Victims. While it does provide for some protective mechanisms, such as protective orders or warrants, in practice, there are still some gaps in the law. The Human Rights Centre points to the time it takes to receive a protective warrant and the missing protection for the victim in the meantime. Although victim services, such as shelters, are supposed to be available, few are adequate to shelter children, as well.
Written by: Evangeline Simmons, 21 February 2008.