We, civil society organizations and associations, once again apply to you with a proposal to nominate and elect Tamar Gurchiani to the position of the Public Defender of Georgia.
Initially, she was nominated by 39 civil society organizations and associations, but today the number of organizations supporting her across the entire Georgia amounts to more than a hundred and continues to rise. She is equally acceptable for organizations specializing in civil and political rights, social and environmental issues, cultural heritage, and advocacy of women, children, persons with disabilities, and various vulnerable groups, as well as for independent news organizations.
The interviews with Tamar Gurchiani which were disseminated by the media in the recent days and the TV debates among the candidates have once again convinced us that Tamar Gurchiani is a politically unbiased, principled, and highly qualified jurist and has extensive experience working in the area of protection of human rights. In particular, for many years she took part in local, regional, and international projects related to freedom of the media, transparency of the government, good governance, and fair elections.
Tamar Gurchiani does not classify people into first-rate and second-rate citizens. Her most important point of departure is unconditional equality among people. Considering her professional merits, we apply to you with an initiative to approve Tamar Gurchaini as the Public Defender.
Signatory civil society organizations and associations:
1. Article 42 of the Constitution
2. Transparency International Georgia
3. Public Advocacy
4. Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association
5. Multinational Georgia
6. International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy
7. Laboratory 1918
8. Youth Center for Independent Living
9. Tiflis Hamqari
10. Media Club
11. Research Center on the Protection of Human Rights and Social Justice
12. Center for Cultural Relations – Caucasian House
13. Tanadgoma
14. Identoba
15. Charter of Journalistic Ethics
16. Community Development Center
17. Center for Strategic Studies
18. Center for Strategic Research and Development of Georgia
19. Child, Family, Society
20. NGO Let’s Be Friends
21. Civic Development Institute
22. Women’s Fund
23. Studio Mobile – Accent on Movement
24. Georgian Association of Social Workers
25. Women’s Initiative for Equality
26. Caucasus Network of Women
27. International Center on Conflict and Negotiation
28. Youth for Justice – Georgia
29. Woman and Environment – Association of Women of Kvemo Kartli
30. Armenian Women – Citizens of Georgia
31. Bolnisi Language House
32. LGBT Georgia
33. Women’s Initiatives Supportive Group
34. Community and Information Center of Kvemo Kartli
35. Inter-Ethnic Unity of Kvemo Kartli
36. Consultation and Training Center
37. Soviet Past Research Laboratory (Sov Lab)
38. Coalition for Independent Living
39. Youth Center for Independent Living
40. Evangelical-Baptist Church
41. Institute for Development of Freedom of Information
42. ‘Temka – Zgvisubani’ community organization
43. Young Christians for Peace and Democracy
44. ‘Media and Society’ association
45. Academy for International Education and Development
46. Civil Society Development Center (CSDC)
47. CISV – Georgia
48. Georgian Young Greens
49. Georgian Business Development Center ‘Caucasia’
50. Safe Space
51. Georgian Young Constitutionalists’ Association
52. Bible Society in Georgia
53. ExpressNews news agency
54. Akhali Gazeti newspaper
55. Newspress.ge news agency
56. Social Activities for Civil Development
57. Non-commercial legal entity ‘Positive’
58. NGO Samtskhe-Javakheti Media Center
59. Club of Liberty
60. GeoDoc Film
61. Focus magazine
62. Young Pedagogues’ Union
63. SIQA – Georgian Association of Educational Initiatives
64. TV 25
65. Urban Reactor
66. ‘Society for Development’ association
67. Institute for Peace and Harmonious Development
68. NGO Young Socialists
69. Samkhretis Karibche newspaper
70. ArgoMedia
71. Khalkhis Gazeti newspaper
72. Caucasus Journalists Network
73. International Partnership for Human Rights
74. United Nations Association of Georgia (UNAG)
75. Meokhi 2010
76. ‘Leaders for Democracy’ association
77. Pentecostal Church of Georgia
78. Media Fund
79. TV Net television network
80. ‘Modern Arts Club’ union
81. Group for Legal Development and Consultations
82. Hand in Hand
83. Research Center on Multiculturalism
84. ‘Accessible Environment for All’ movement
85. ‘Ndoba’ – Georgian Association of Psychosocial Aid
86. Union of TV Viewers
87. Association of Civil Society Development of Georgia
88. Civic Initiative (Tsnori)
89. Chemi Kharagauli newspaper
90. ‘Community Organization Nukriani’ union
91. Education and Management Team
92. Center for Ethnic and Religious Relations
93. Biological Farming Association ‘Elkana’
94. Evangelical-Protestant Church of Georgia
95. Election Environment Development Center
96. Iberia advisory group
97. Media.ge
98. Svaneti Tourism Center