“The United States is proud to support hard-working, honest, professional judges from Georgia who are committed to upholding the law for the benefit of Georgia’s people,” reads the statement of the US Embassy in Georgia.

According to the statement, the US Embassy supports opportunities for judges to share expertise and to uphold fundamental human rights and rule of law in their courtrooms that ultimately contribute to more prosperous, democratic, and equitable societies.

“In partnership with USAID, 10 civil and administrative law judges had a working trip to the U.S. to share expertise related to freedom of expression. They attended court hearings and met U.S. judicial experts. They visited the Institute of Free Speech and met with The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press to learn about defending free speech and how journalists face legal challenges. They met representatives from the New York Times to discuss legal issues related to the media, and observed a federal appellate argument at the U.S. Court of Appeals to gain valuable insights into the appellate process.

Selecting judges to participate in the visit was highly competitive: 60 applicants were reviewed in an open competition. Those selected represent seven different courts in Georgia.

Freedom of expression is a fundamental human right and a pillar of prosperous democracies everywhere. It fuels innovation and learning, keeps people informed, and is crucial for the protection of other human rights. It is the courts that often must protect this freedom. The United States stands with judges and other legal professionals everywhere who strive to make reasoned, independent decisions, free from pressure and external influence,” reads the statement.