Liberty Institute is a Georgian research and advocacy organization affiliated with

Ilia Chavchavadze Tavadi, Tavadi (Prince) Ilia Chavchavadze ( ka, ილია ჭავჭავაძე; 27 October 1837 – 12 September 1907) was a Georgians, Georgian journalist, publisher, writer and poet who spearheaded the revival of Georgian nationalism ...

State University. The Institute provides legal services in the field of civil and human rights and conducts legislative activities.

History

The Liberty Institute was founded in 1996. On July 10, 2002, around 10 aggressors entered the office of the Liberty Institute and physically injured organization members Sozar Subari and ransacked the office. Giga Bokeria became the deputy chairman of the Committee on Legal Issues and a member of the Committee on Defense and Security. Givi Targamadze became the chair of the Georgian Parliamentary Committee on Defense and Security. In 2004, Sozar Subari was elected by the

Parliament of Georgia The Parliament of Georgia ( ka, საქართველოს პარლამენტი, tr) is the supreme national legislature of Georgia. It is a unicameral parliament, currently consisting of 150 members elected through fully pr ...

as Public Defender (

ombudsman An ombudsman ( , also ) is a government employee who investigates and tries to resolve complaints, usually through recommendations (binding or not) or mediation. They are usually appointed by the government or by parliament (often with a sign ...

) for a 5-year term.

Konstantine Vardzelashvili Konstantine Vardzelashvili (born 26 July 1972 in Tbilisi) is vice-president of the Constitutional Court of Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the sout ...

was appointed as the Deputy Minister of Justice in 2004. Anna Zhvania was appointed initially as an advisor to the President in 2006, and then she was appointed as the first female head of the Foreign Intelligence Special Service of Georgia. Former executive director of the Liberty Institute, Akaki Minashvili, was elected to the Parliament of Georgia. In December 2008, he was elected as chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs. Before that, he was the deputy chairman of the Committee on Legal Issues.

Activities

In February 2003, a constitutional amendment backed by the Liberty Institute was adopted to introduce

trial by jury A jury trial, or trial by jury, is a legal proceeding in which a jury makes a decision or findings of fact. It is distinguished from a bench trial, in which a judge or panel of judges makes all decisions. Jury trials are increasingly used ...

in Georgia. In 1998–2000, anti-corruption campaigns by the Institute have been against the illegal business activities of then President

Eduard Shevardnadze Eduard Ambrosis dze Shevardnadze ( ka, ედუარდ ამბროსის ძე შევარდნაძე; 25 January 1928 – 7 July 2014) was a Soviet and Georgian politician and diplomat who governed Georgia (country), Georgi ...

's family. Since 2001, the Liberty Institute has carried out the anti-corruption campaign at the Tbilisi Ivane Javakhishvili State University. The LI denounced the attack on the

Baptist Church Baptists are a denomination within Protestant Christianity distinguished by baptizing only professing Christian believers ( believer's baptism) and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches generally subscribe to the doctrines of ...

by police in the Tianeti region. The Liberty Institute also created the youth movement Kmara in 2003 in Georgia. The Law on the Freedom of Speech and Expression adopted by the Parliament of Georgia in 2004 was prepared by the LI. In 2004, the

adopted the Law on Broadcasting. The Liberty Institute has a monthly magazine, ''Liberty''.

References

External links

*{{Official website, http://liberty.ge/public/en Political organisations based in Georgia (country) Liberal organizations