Publications

20 March 2017

The Letter of President of Georgia Zviad Gamsakhurdia to United States Secretary of State James Baker

IDFI continues to publish declassified documents kept in US archives. This time, we are publishing a letter of the Georgian President Zviad Gamsakhurdia to US Secretary of State James Baker dated December 12, 1991. This letter is a response to the criticism expressed by the US towards President Gamsakhurdia.

17 March 2017

Russia’s Soft and Hard Power in Georgia

Russian Propaganda is still a prominent topic in Georgia as well as on the international scene. The eminence is all the more striking as Russian interference in US elections, which most probably had an influence on election results, was confirmed. European countries now fully understand the threats of Russian information operations and are trying to take appropriate measures against them.

15 March 2017

Court Decisions in Georgia: How to Negotiate the Minefield Between Access and Respect for Privacy

The academic paper prepared by the Director of the Center for law and Democracy (Canada), Toby Mendel discusses the ways of balancing the interests of freedom of information and privacy. The document is based on the challenges faced by Georgia in regards with access to court decisions, which has become subject of active international discussion as a result of the activities conducted by IDFI. With the aim of addressing existing challenges the paper presents the case law of the European Court of Human Rights.

15 March 2017

Meeting of the Permanent Parliamentary Council on Open and Transparent Governance and Consultative Group

IDFI organized a meeting of the Permanent Parliamentary Council on Open and Transparent Governance and the Consultative Group. Participants discussed the recommendations prepared by the Consultative Group in relation to the Open Parliament Georgia Action Plan 2017-2018.

6 March 2017

IDFI in the US Department of State's Country Reports for 2016

The US Department of State published the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2016. The reports are based on data provided by US Embassies, as well as International Missions and reviews the human rights situation in 200 countries, including Georgia.

28 February 2017

Supreme Court Rules in Favor of IDFI in a Case against the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development

The Supreme Court of Georgia declared the appeal of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development (MOESD) against the Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) inadmissible.

28 February 2017

Georgia’s Chairmanship of OGP: Advancing the Global, Regional and National Open Government Agenda

n May 2016, Georgia was elected as a co-chair of the Open Government Partnership (OGP) Steering Committee before taking over as a Lead Chair in 2017. The fact that 18 of the Steering Committee member countries supported Georgia was a clear expression of appreciation of Georgia’s achievements and reforms initiated and implemented as an OGP member as well as its future plans.

25 February 2017

February 25, 1921 is the Day of Occupation of the Democratic Republic of Georgia

February 25, 1921 is the day of occupation of the Democratic Republic of Georgia. In order to honor the memory of political prisoners who were arrested and shot in the years following the occupation, IDFI and Society Memorial organized an exhibition in front of the Parliament building titled "Results of Sovietization in Georgia - Photos and Lists of the Repressed". The exhibition presented the lists of prisoners executed in 1921-1924 (1,350 persons) and people arrested by the secret police (‘Cheka’) in 1921-1922 (2,734 persons), letters sent from exile, group photos, and various print material published by prisoners and the repressed, such as newspapers, magazines, dictionaries and mor

23 February 2017

Georgia in 2017 Index of Economic Freedom

Georgia has gained 10 positions in the 2017 Index of Economic Freedom, taking the 13th place in the ranking of 180 countries worldwide and going ahead of all of its neighbors and most European and Post-Soviet countries. In Europe, Georgia took the 5th place and is behind only Switzerland, Estonia, Ireland and Great Britain.

21 February 2017

Institute for Development of Freedom of Information Opinions on Constitutional Amendments

IDFI prepared the recommendations to be included in the Constitution of Georgia. The recommendations refer to the three main topics: 1. Adding the guiding principle of Good Governance in Article 5 of the Constitution. 2. Integrating the definition of freedom of internet in Article 24 of the Constitution; and 3. New formulation of Article 41 of the Constitution and the right on ‘good administration’; the obligation to regulate topics of access to information by an Organic Law.