Public Defender seeks OSCE assessment on Assembly Law amendments

19:34, 18.10.2023

The Office of the Public Defender of Georgia has officially written to the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR), asking for a legal assessment of proposed amendments to the Law on Assemblies and Manifestations.

In the letter, the Public Defender expressed concerns that the proposed bill represents a significant interference in the freedom of expression/assembly, limiting the expression of opinion through the use of temporary constructions, such as tents.

“Such a substantial restriction on freedom of expression in a democratic society should only be justified by the necessity to protect a crucial and weighty interest, which, according to the presented draft law, is not adequately addressed.

On October 4, 2023, the Public Defender had already released a statement discussing the essence of the planned amendments and outlining the potential harm it could inflict on the constitutional standard of the right to assembly and demonstration,” the Public Defender’s letter reads.

By - Tamar Tabatadze

Politics

freedom of assembly law

Public Defender