The Human Rights and Civil Integration Committee deliberated on the Draft National Report for 2025 of the Human Rights Protection in Georgia within the 4th cycle of the UN Universal Periodic Review (UPR), submitted by the Government.

According to the reporter, Deputy Foreign Minister, Khatuna Totladze, in 2021, within the framework of the 3rd cycle of the UPR, Georgia received 285 recommendations, of which it supported the implementation of 257. At the same time, Georgia did not endorse the recommendations issued by the Russian Federation, Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Syria due to Russia’s illegal occupation of Georgia’s territories and its support for the occupation regimes.

As she noted, the document presents information on actions taken by the Government of Georgia during the reporting period to protect and promote human rights, including measures related to: gender equality; the elimination of violence against women and domestic violence; the rights of children and persons with disabilities; the right to a fair trial; reforms within the penitentiary system; the state policy on combating trafficking; freedom of religion, expression, assembly, and association; the right to live in a safe and healthy environment; the rights to health, labor, and employment; the rights of ethnic minorities; and efforts to combat crimes committed on the grounds of discrimination.

She added that the document also highlights important human rights–related instruments adopted during the reporting period.

According to the Deputy Minister, the report places special emphasis on the grave human rights situation in the Russian-occupied regions of Georgia.

“It underscores the illegal occupation of Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region by the Russian Federation, the increasing militarization, the installation of barbed wire fences and other artificial barriers along the occupation line, the steps taken toward integrating these regions into Russia’s political, military, economic, social, and legal systems, and the resulting severe violations of human rights. The occupying power continues to violate such fundamental rights as the right to life, freedom from torture and ill-treatment, freedom from arbitrary detention, non-discrimination on ethnic grounds, the right to education in the native language, as well as the rights to life, property, freedom of movement, and access to healthcare, among others. Regarding the practice of killing Georgian citizens in the occupied regions, the report notes the recent cases of the killing of two innocent Georgian citizens—Tamaz Ginturi and Vitali Karbaia. Particular attention is devoted to the systematic nature of unlawful detentions and inhumane treatment both in the occupied territories and along the occupation line”, - stated Khatuna Totladze.

She added that the document clearly affirms that full responsibility for human rights violations in the occupied regions lies with the Russian Federation, as the occupying power exercising effective control—an assessment reflected in numerous judgments of the European Court of Human Rights and in arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court.

“In this context, it is emphasized that Georgia consistently pursues a policy of peaceful resolution of the Russia–Georgia conflict and applies every possible diplomatic, political, legal, and other instrument to ensure the protection of the rights of people residing in the territories occupied by Russia as a result of the occupation”, - she stated.

The Committee gave a positive assessment of the report submitted by Ms. Totladze.