Civil and community organizations respond to the attacks on Tariel Nakaidze, a member of the Parliament of Georgia, and we believe that this attack is not only directed against an individual politician but also aims to discredit the rights protection activities in general and harm the legal status of minorities in Georgia.

For the last few days, we have seen that the representatives of the parliamentary majority are openly attacking the independent deputy of the parliament, Tariel Nakaidze, who was the chairman of the “Georgian Muslim Union” from 2008-2020 and is actively working to protect the rights of religious minorities.

On March 22, Sozar Subar, a member of “People’s Power” and one of the initiators of Russian law, addressed Tariel Nakaidze in the parliament session hall: “I have known you for 20 years and I know that you are an agent.” Viktor Japaridze, an associate of Subari and another initiator of Russian law, attacked the deputy and hit the microphone in his back. This was followed by the statement of “Georgian Dream” chairman Irakli Kobakhidze that Tariel Nakaidze has a “serious reputation”.

Tariel Nakaidze, unlike the deputies who support Russian law, often uses the rostrum of the parliament to defend human rights and to talk about the challenges of religious and ethnic minorities, women, and LGBTQI people. Minority rights are part of the European values that are deeply held in the EU and are an organic part of our tradition.

The government’s hate speech and divisive policies, in addition to being contrary to democratic values and the spirit of human rights protection, irreversibly deepen the polarization in the political field and harm a diverse and pluralistic environment.

Civil and community organizations, the signatories of this statement, express solidarity with Tariel Nakaidze and call on members of the majority to stop physical and verbal attacks on human rights defenders.

Center for Social Justice

Solidarity platform

Pankisi Community Organization

Platform Salam

Diverse and equal Georgia

Mezuem of solidarity

Yormuganlo Community Center

Youth for Democratic Change

Center for Civic Engagement and Activism

Tbilisi Pride

Guard of the court of Georgia

Open Society Foundation of Georgia

Women’s Initiatives Support Group, WISG

Queer Association – Temida

Equality Movement

Rights Georgia

Women for a Common Future (WECF) – Georgia

International Transparency – Georgia

Green Alternative

მწვანეები • Mtsvaneebi

Partnership for Human Rights, PHR

Racha community organization

Soviet Past Research Laboratory (SovLab)

The Georgian Center for Psychosocial and Medical Rehabilitation of Torture Victims (GCRT)

Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA)