Human Rights Day is observed on 10 December around the world. On December 10, 1948, after analyzing the tragedies of World War II, the UN General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which became the basis for the universal protection of human rights. Given the special significance of the Declaration, the international community marks Human Rights Day on December 10.

In connection with this important date, the Public Defender speaks about the challenges observed in terms of the protection of human rights and freedoms over the past period.

It is particularly noteworthy that the investigation launched into the alleged ill-treatment of participants in the 2024 protest rallies by law enforcement officers has still not been conducted in accordance with the standards of effective investigation. It is regrettable that the Public Defender's call for the cases to be properly classified and appropriate investigative/procedural actions to be taken has not been implemented. To date, no person has been held accountable within the framework of the investigation. The Public Defender once again notes that it is necessary to conduct an effective investigation into the alleged ill-treatment of participants in the 2024 protest rallies and to hold the relevant persons responsible.

It is also noteworthy that a number of legislative amendments have been adopted recently, in particular, the amendments to the Law of Georgia on Assemblies and Demonstrations and the Administrative Offences Code, which have had a significant impact on the national standard for protecting freedom of assembly. Following the appeals of the Public Defender of Georgia, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR) negatively assessed the aforementioned changes and published two opinions in 2025.

In addition, the Public Defender once again draws the attention of the public and state agencies to the main challenges and problems reflected in detail in the Public Defender’s parliamentary and special reports. Unfortunately, the aforementioned challenges still remain in the field of human rights and aggravate the rights situation of various individuals, including children, persons with disabilities, persons with mental health problems, conflict-affected population, older persons, the homeless and others.

The Public Defender of Georgia congratulates the public on the Human Rights Day and expresses full readiness to actively cooperate with state structures in order to continue working together on existing problems in the field of protection and realization of human rights. We remain hopeful that the challenges identified over the years in the field of human rights and freedoms will be eliminated as a result of effective measures implemented by the State, which will substantially improve the overall environment and standards for the protection of rights in the country.

On the occasion of the international Human Rights Day, the Ombudsmen and Public Defenders of Georgia, the Slovak Republic, the Czech Republic, the Republic of Azerbaijan, and the Republic of Serbia signed a declaration in Bratislava, according to which they recognize: the role of the ombudsman as a defender of human dignity, legal guarantor and defender of fundamental freedoms; the universal value of human rights and their reflection in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, international treaties, and constitutional systems; the importance of national preventive mechanisms (NPMs) in protecting people from torture, inhuman and degrading treatment.

In addition, they reaffirm their commitment to act in accordance with the principles of fairness, independent oversight and respect for human dignity; undertake to continue cooperation in strengthening the legal framework and practical measures for the protection of human rights.