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Georgia Human Rights
Human rights protection and media freedom have been hindered
in postcommunist Georgia by the national government's assumption
of central executive power to deal with states of political and
military emergency and by the existence of semi-independent
military forces. In 1993 the expression of opposition views in
the independent media was interrupted by official and unofficial
actions against newspapers and broadcasters, despite a stated
policy that expression of antigovernment views would be tolerated
if not accompanied by violent acts.
Both sides of the Abkhazian conflict claimed widespread
interference with civilian human rights by their opponents. Among
the charges were abuse of military prisoners, the taking of
civilian hostages, and the shelling and blockading of civilian
areas. In 1993 the Shevardnadze government began addressing
claims of human rights abuses by its military forces and police,
particularly against Gamsakhurdia partisans and the Abkhazian
population. In January the Parliamentary Commission on Human
Rights and Ethnic Minority Affairs formed the Council of Ethnic
Minorities, which met with representatives of the Meskhetian Turk
exile population to resolve the grievances of that group. At the
same time, the Interethnic Congress of the People of Georgia was
formed to improve ethnic Georgians' appreciation of minority
rights.
Despite the government's efforts, the Abkhazian conflict
continued the tension between necessary wartime controls and the
need to protect human rights. In June 1993, the international
human rights group Helsinki Watch cited Georgia for political
persecution, media obstruction, and military abuses of civilian
rights, and in October the United States listed human rights
progress as a prerequisite for continued economic aid.
Data as of March 1994
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