Memory and Disinformation Studies

Primary data from Adjara: remains of 29 victims were found in the grave №6

From January 4, delegation from the Polish Institute of National Remembrance (IPN) invited by the Eparchy of Batumi and Lazeti and Institute for the Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI),  is examining and excavating human remains discovered in Adjara from the sixth mass terror.

The scientists of the Polish Institute of National Remembrance (IPN) will study the graves of the repressed people during the Mass Terror in Adjara

On January 22, 2022, representatives of the scientists of the Polish Institute of National Remembrance  (IPN), Deputy Head of the Department of Archeology Tomasz Borkowski and his 6-person team, arrived in Batumi.  For the next two weeks, the team,  which includes 4 archaeologists and 2 anthropologists, will carry out the work of exhuming and examining the remains from the graves of the repressed people during the Mass Terror 1937-1938 in Adjara.

My Graphic History: Soviet Repressions in Adjara through Comic Books

The 30s of the XX century turned out to be one of the darkest spots in Georgian history. It was a period of impunity, when completely innocent people were shot or deported to remote, uninhabited places without trial or convictionby the Soviet State. Their family members, the elderly, women and children were evicted into the open, their homes confiscated, and, most importantly, their dignity violated with the labels of as a “traitor’s” relatives.

On 28 December 2021 Russia's Supreme Court ruled to shut the International Memorial society

The formal basis for the liquidation of the Memorial was the accusation of the Prosecutor's Office of violating the mandatory labeling of a "foreign agent" by the organization, which occurred more than a year ago. 

Accessibility problems in the Adjara archive

Making archives accessible is a significant challenge in many post-totalitarian states, including those with experience of communist regimes. "De-Sovietization", the transition to a democratic system of governance and a critical understanding of the Soviet past, took place in the former Soviet republics with different standards, means, and pace. 

The 3rd International Conference - Openness of the State Archives and Memory Studies

On December 16, 2021, the Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) with the financial support of the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) held the 3rd International Conference: "Openness of the State Archives and Memory Studies". The event was hybrid, attendance was also possible online, via the ZOOM platform.

Executive Director of IDFI Delivered the Speech on the Open Parliament Forum regarding the Role of the Parliament in Fighting the Disinformation

On December 2, 2021, Giorgi Kldiashvili, Executive Director of the Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) will participate in the 2021 Open Parliament Forum which is organized by the Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan, together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation (TAEF).

The presentation of www.historyproject.ge

Online Information Manipulation: Experiences, Challenges, and International Practice

Developing effective tools for monitoring large-scale information disseminated online also remains an important challenge in the Georgian context. Usually, for small languages ​​such as Georgian, such tools are rarely available, and existing monitoring tools require considerable human resources and time investment. In addition, the issue of public trust and authority of civil society as one of the most active sectors working against information manipulation, is noteworthy. A low level of trust has a negative impact on the efforts of the civil society sector to reduce the negative effects of information manipulation and disinformation campaigns in society and to prevent the socio-political polarization based on them. Along with the issue of trust, when it comes to mechanisms to combat online information manipulation, the issue of a unified evaluation and monitoring system remains challenging for civil society organizations in the country.

IDFI Held an Online Lecture for Student on Digital Security and Rights Issues

On November 22, 2021 staff members of the Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI), Teona Turashvili and Nino Gozalishvili held an online discussion with students. The participants were presented with the findings of the study conducted on the issues of digital security and rights.