Human Rights Watch has released its annual review of human rights around the world including in Georgia, reflecting developments in 2020, Trend reports citing Agenda.ge.
The report on Georgia focuses on COVID-19, parliamentary elections, lack of accountability for law enforcement abuses, freedom of media, labour rights, sexual orientation and gender identity, drug policy and key international partners.
International observers, led by the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), concluded that the elections were held in a competitive environment.
COVID-19
Human Rights Watch says that the coronavirus pandemic ‘had a devastating impact on the economy, which shrunk by over 16 percent in the second quarter, resulting in a spike in unemployment and poverty’.
"To mitigate the fallout, the government enacted a US$1.5 billion anti-crisis plan in April, including a social assistance package for individuals, and tax relief and exemptions for businesses for at least six months”, it said.