Memory and Disinformation Studies

17 September 2021

Archives, Conspiracies, Conspiracy Theories: the Case of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church

Understandably, the expectations from opening of the communist secret services archives are high. Society hopes that the archives will provide long awaited answers on the communist regime and its collapse, and that this step will lead to greater transparency of institutions, it will restore the justice, and pave the way for meritocratic development of the new elites.

1 September 2021

To Andre Gide – the traitor

Andre Paul Guillaume Gide (1869-1951) was a French author and winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature. At the time of his death, his obituary in The New York Times described him as "France's greatest contemporary man of letters". In 1936 Paolo Iashvili dedicated a poem full of hatred and curses to this world-known writer, the reason for which must be sought in the communist, terror-creating, state system…

27 August 2021

Another refusal to increase the subsidy for the state repressed people

The Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) and the Society "Memorial" received a reply from the Ministry of Finance of Georgia on August 18, 2021 to the letters sent by the organizations to the Parliament of Georgia, the Prime Minister of Georgia and the Ministry of Finance.

27 July 2021

Supporting CSO’s in Digital Archiving - Practices of the CSO’s of the Former Soviet States: Belarus, Georgia, and Ukraine

Digital archiving is crucial to the work of civil society organizations (CSOs), as it helps them document past and ongoing human rights violations and better utilize information to support transitional justice mechanisms and community-based truth, justice, and memory initiatives.

23 July 2021

Exhibition “Repressed Women in the Soviet Union” at Dedaena Park

Since 2002, Georgia has been marking the day of commemoration of the victims of repressions on 22 July. The history of this day dates back to 1937 when, on this day, a great Georgian poet, Paolo Iashvili committed suicide demonstratively at the building of the Writers’ Union.

14 July 2021

IDFI signs a Memorandum of Cooperation with Transitions Online

In disinformation studies direction, IDFI has been extending its scope of acting as well as its international network. In this context, Memorandum of Cooperation was signed between the Institute for Development of Freedom of Information(IDFI) and Transitions Online (TOL) on July 8, 2021.

1 July 2021

IDFI Continues the Advocacy Campaign for Increasing the Living Subsidy for the Repressed

With the letter of 30 June 2021, IDFI once again addresses the Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Gharibashvili, the Chairman of the Parliament of Georgia, Kakha Kutchava, Minister of Finances of Georgia, Lasha Khutsishvili and the Chairman of the Finance and Budget Committee of the Parliament of Georgia, Irakli Kovzanadze with the request for the Government to increase the living subsidy for the repressed individuals from 7 GEL to 44 GEL with the 2021 and 2022 budget.

1 July 2021

Post Bellum’s Training for the IDFI’s Representatives and the Archival Researchers

On 30 June, the representatives of the Czech non-governmental organization, Posy Bellum held an online training for the representatives of the Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI).

30 June 2021

Soviet Totalitarian Toponymy in Georgia

Institute for the Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) conducted large-scale research within the frame of which the organization studied the living areas, streets, squares and other toponyms with the Communist, totalitarian names on the territory controlled by Georgia.

30 June 2021

The Presentation of the Research - Soviet Totalitarian Toponymy in Georgia

On 21 June, the presentation of the research - Soviet Totalitarian Toponymy in Georgia and related discussion was held at the Vakhtang VI Building of the National Parliamentary Library of Georgia.