See the Special Report of the Public Defender of Georgia on Challenges Related to the Proper Realization of the Right to Access to Public Information.

The document discusses the problematic issues identified as a result of the consideration of complaints submitted by citizens, organizations and journalists to the Public Defender’s Office of Georgia in 2021-2024, which were related to the proper realization of the right to access to public information. The document also includes the recommendations of the Public Defender of Georgia regarding legislative amendments to be implemented in order to properly realize the constitutional right.

The Public Defender of Georgia has been indicating in its parliamentary reports the challenges related to access to public information and the need to reform existing legislation for years.

Authorized Person of the OliyMajlis for Human Rights (Ombudsman) has received a collective appeal from citizens in Syrdarya province. In the appeal, citizens complained that the production enterprise located in the city of Gulistan did not pay wages for a 15-day working period in October and November 2023.

This appeal was taken under control and studied by the regional representative of the Ombudsman in Syrdarya region, and documents relevant to the case were collected.

The Ombudsman then filed a claim on behalf of the citizens with the inter-district court of Guliston district for the restoration of labor rights.

As a result, more than 100 million sums of wages were fully recovered from the citizens.

Chairman of the Integrity and Anti-Corruption Commission, Dr. MuhannadHijazi, stressed that the reform process requires changing the institutional culture, via the presence of a real will among senior management, sound decisions, and a competent & effective public employee, an ideal and honest work environment based on the rule of law, justice, equality, transparency and accountability.

During the dialogue meeting organized by JIACC today, Wednesday, with the secretaries and general managers of public administration institutions about the latest edition version of the National Integrity indicator , in cooperation with (ِAl-Hayat Center) raised, that the Commission was established with aim of preserving public money & the nation’s resources, Which will lead to improved performance and management of public facilities.

He stressed that enhancing integrity and rejecting corruption requires intensifying cooperation efforts to combat corruption, and working to establish integrity standards in all sectors to establish ethics and principles of integrity, in line with responsibilities of the public sector and commitment to the provisions of the International Convention against Corruption.

He pointed out that real measures must be taken; both employees and citizens feel, in order to reach an ideal and fair work environment. If this culture was achieved, it will be directly reflected in the quality of institutional work and increase citizen satisfaction.

Hijazi noted that the latest edition version of the National Integrity indicator is due to the intensive efforts made to develop the standards structure and evaluation and measurement tools.

The advancement of the public sector is a national demand, and will only be achieved via serious and integrated work between all public sector institutions. We have adopted our value system as a basis for enhancing credibility and transparency in work.

The second edition of the indicator adopted more accurate and comprehensive indicators, to become more capable of monitoring achievements and challenges related to building a culture of integrity.

He pointed out that the Jordanian experience in measuring the level of integrity is a model to be emulated, noting that the indicator is the first at the national and regional levels, as it is our administrative system and our national priorities, and derives its strength from the political will to combat corruption and dry out its sources.

He pointed out that it is the responsibility of public administrations to benefit from the indicator to improve their performance and the performance of their employees, and to create an attractive work environment characterized by an honest, effective, efficient and positive institutional culture.

He stressed the importance of the involvement of all public administration institutions in adopting and applying the culture and demands of these standards, which contributes to institutionalization and continuity of work, with the aim of modeling and improving the work of public administrations to combat corruption, preserve public money & stop wasted effort in public administrations.

Rasheed’s Executive Director Abeer Madanat, added that the updated version of the indicator is one of the most important tools for establishing aspects of good governance in the public sector.

She emphasized that the public sector has an important role in building a partnership , respect & trust between society and the state, as it is the main interface in providing the most important services to citizens and achieving justice.

The Director General of Al-Hayat Center (RASED), Dr. Amer Bani Amer, praised Commission’s effective partnership with official institutions and civil society organizations, pointing out this partnership is a positive cooperation based on an integrative relationship in implementing national aims & priorities.

He pointed out that the values of the integrity indicator are not a form of administrative luxury, but rather a national need and necessity that contributed to development government services in line with requirements of comprehensive modernization of the state, and called on all public administration institutions to make the indicator a success in cooperation.

He thanked the Commission for its belief in the sustainability of the integrity indicator, which represents a national compass for all workers and decision-makers in the country.

A discussion session was also held, chaired by Secretary-General of JIACC Amjad Narmouk, in which the Commission’s Advisor for Strategic Planning and Risk Management, Dr. Muwaffaq Ziadat, Director of Integrity and Prevention Directorate, Dr. Khaled Al-Qudah, and Director of Digital Support Directorate, Yanal Al-Majali, participated.

They showed details of the latest version of the national Integrity Indicator, stages of its implementation, how to fill out the “Compliance with National Integrity Standards” matrix by institutions, and the mechanisms for implementing the three Indicator questionnaires: the Individual Integrity Questionnaire, Institutional Integrity Questionnaire, as well as Service Recipient Questionnaire.

The Commission launched an awareness media campaign aimed all state institutions, their employees and various segments of society to introduce the new version of the Integrity Indicator and raise awareness of National Integrity Standards, which will lead to providing services to citizens with quality & transparency.

The Commission urged for supporting campaign via cooperation in publishing its messages, highlights and introductory videos through official websites, channels and digital platforms of ministries, official institutions, civil society organizations & all media.

It is worth noting that the JIACC unveiled the latest version edition National Integrity Indicator during a ceremony commemorating International Anti-Corruption Day, which was held at end of 2024 , consider an executive arm for consolidating National Integrity Standards in public sector.

On the eve of the holiday, the pupils of the Perm educational Colony of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia were congratulated on the upcoming New Year.

New Year is a time of miracles, kindness and care. It is especially important to give attention and support to those who need it most. On the eve of the holiday, the pupils of the Perm educational Colony of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia were congratulated on the upcoming New Year. We thank the Government of our republic for preparing gifts that helped create a festive atmosphere and give children a piece of New Year’s magic. Our colleague Igor Sapko, the Commissioner for Human Rights in the Perm Region, handed over the gifts we had prepared to the inmates of the colony. I believe that everyone deserves a chance to turn a new page in their lives. May the New Year bring warmth, joy and new goals to the children!

On February 12, 2025, Levan Ioseliani, Public Defender of Georgia, , met with Wade Kusack, founder of the organization Love Your Neighbor Community, Greg Mitchell, founder of the organization Religious Freedom Secretariat, and Zaza Vashakmadze, Chairman of the State Agency for Religious Affairs.

At the meeting, the Public Defender reviewed the current situation in the country in terms of protection of religious minority rights, the mandate and activities of the Office in this direction; he also spoke about the recommendations prepared regarding religious minority issues for the elimination of the challenges reflected in the annual parliamentary reports.

Wade Cusack and Greg Mitchell emphasized the importance of interfaith dialogue in creating and strengthening a tolerant environment and expressed their desire to cooperate with the Public Defender’s Office.

One of the important areas of the Ombudsman’s activity of Azerbaijan is related to the protectionof the rights of persons with disabilities.

On the occasion of January 4 – World Braille Day, the Ombudsman Sabina Aliyeva initiated a special educational product titled “National Preventive Mechanism for the Prevention of Torture,” which was prepared in Braille for people with complete visual impairments.

The material is designed for residents of special institutions operating in the country where people with complete visual impairments live and study, and other persons from this category, and contains information on the Ombudsman’s mandate and powers, the NPM activities, as well as methods of contacting the Ombudsman.

It should be noted that ensuring the rights and freedoms of visually impaired people and providing them with necessary resources is always in the spotlight.

ACRC Chairperson Ryu Chul Whan, Shares Warm-heartedness at the Theresa’s House

– ACRC visits Theresa’s House, a child-care institution, and donates ACRC member’s contribution

Chairperson of the ACRC, Ryu Chul Whan visited child-care institution and offered words of encouragement and gratitude to the children and staff members.

Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC, Chairperson Ryu Chul Whan) visited Theresa’s House, a child-care institution located in Eunpyeong-district, at 3 p.m. to deliver donation of ACRC members.

※ Theresa’s House: a child-care institution managed by a convent, which supports independent life of children from preschool to high-school

Chairperson Ryu Chul Whan has been highlighting the efforts of ACRC to protect and support vulnerable social groups such as self-reliant young people, people suffering from Hansen’s disease and North Korean defectors. ACRC is making efforts to improve the system in the long term to resolve grievances, while actively discovering blind spots of welfare and families in crisis who are in urgent need to quickly support them.

As part of these efforts, the ACRC is pushing for a mentoring project to support self-reliant young people who have ended their protection at child-care facilities and held a “year-end mentoring day” on Dec. 20.

The visit of ACRC was designed to express gratitude and encourage children and the staff members of the facility who care for the children who don’t have families or guardians and help them prepare for self-reliance as a member of society.

Ryu Chul Whan, chairperson of the ACRC, said “I hope that our society can be a place where we can care for the people in need and send them warm words and small sincerity as we start the new year of the blue dragon.”

On February 10, 2025, the report on the Ombudsman’s activities for 2024 was heard at the sessions of the fraktions of the Legislative Chamber of the OliyMajlis, including the fraktions of the Democratic Party “Milliy Tiklanish”, the People’s Democratic Party of Uzbekistan, the Ecological Party of Uzbekistan, the SDP “Adolat” and the “UzLiDeP” fraktion.

The report stated that in 2024, 23,422 appeals were received by the Ombudsman from citizens of the Republic of Uzbekistan, foreign citizens and ombudsmen, stateless persons, public organizations, and other legal entities.

Based on the analysis of the issues raised in the citizens’ appeals, as well as the results of monitoring visits, 9 analytical reports were presented in the chambers of the Oliy Majlis, 5 analytical reports in the Cabinet of Ministers, and 182 documents in the form of representations, conclusions, lawsuits, and demands were submitted to state bodies, organizations, and courts.

It was also reported that, as a result of the measures taken in the interest of citizens, over 4.12 billion UZS in wages were recovered. In addition, for the irresponsible conduct of some employees of state institutions and bodies, warnings were issued to 67 employees, 8 employees were fined, and 7 employees were dismissed.

At the event, deputies particularly noted the launch of the mobile application ombudsman.uz in 2024, which is aimed at creating convenience for citizens. This application provides the possibility of quick and easy registration through the One ID system, submission of appeals and receipt of responses, online consultations, and access to news and statistical data.

During the discussion, participants answered the questions raised, and the report on the Ombudsman’s activities for 2024 was approved.

As part of an expanded meeting of the Expert Council under the Commissioner for Human Rights in the Republic of Tatarstan, the results of the work for 2024 were summed up and tasks were set for 2025.

In 2024, 5,417 appeals were received by the Commissioner for Human Rights in the Republic of Tatarstan, 773 of them through the ESIA, which is 41% more than a year earlier. 1,428 messages were received through the EGIS GLONASS 112 system.

52 receptions of citizens were held during the year:

✳️personal receptions – 25,

✳️field reception – 5,

✳️thematic receptions – 22.

A total of 537 people were accepted.

There were also 6 telephone hotlines, which received 246 calls.

The CCAC detected a case where a chief of an operational post of the Fire Services Bureau (CB) allegedly falsified attendance records in an attempt to conceal his absence from duty during his working hours.

The CCAC initiated an investigation upon receipt of a report in 2024 and discovered that between December 2023 and May 2024, the chief involved left the territory twice during work time or an additional work period (commonly known as “supplementary shift”). In addition, he was absent from the operational post three times and went back to the post to clock out over one hour later. He claimed that he was on duty on the said occasions in order to conceal the untrue situations of attendance.

The aforesaid chief of the CB was suspected of committing the crime of forgery by a public servant provided for in the Penal Code. The case has been referred to the Public Prosecutions Office and notified to the CB for handling. The CCAC reminds that all public servants should know and abide by the law, and law enforcement personnel should even be more strict with their own disciplines.