We, civil society organizations and associations, once again apply to you with a proposal to nominate and elect Tamar Gurchiani to the position of the Public Defender of Georgia.

Initially, she was nominated by 39 civil society organizations and associations, but today the number of organizations supporting her across the entire Georgia amounts to more than a hundred and continues to rise. She is equally acceptable for organizations specializing in civil and political rights, social and environmental issues, cultural heritage, and advocacy of women, children, persons with disabilities, and various vulnerable groups, as well as for independent news organizations.

The interviews with Tamar Gurchiani which were disseminated by the media in the recent days and the TV debates among the candidates have once again convinced us that Tamar Gurchiani is a politically unbiased, principled, and highly qualified jurist and has extensive experience working in the area of protection of human rights. In particular, for many years she took part in local, regional, and international projects related to freedom of the media, transparency of the government, good governance, and fair elections.

Tamar Gurchiani does not classify people into first-rate and second-rate citizens. Her most important point of departure is unconditional equality among people. Considering her professional merits, we apply to you with an initiative to approve Tamar Gurchaini as the Public Defender.

Signatory civil society organizations and associations:

1. Article 42 of the Constitution

2. Transparency International Georgia

3. Public Advocacy

4. Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association

5. Multinational Georgia 

6. International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy

7. Laboratory 1918

8. Youth Center for Independent Living 

9. Tiflis Hamqari

10. Media Club

11. Research Center on the Protection of Human Rights and Social Justice

12. Center for Cultural Relations – Caucasian House

13. Tanadgoma

14. Identoba

15. Charter of Journalistic Ethics

16. Community Development Center

17. Center for Strategic Studies

18. Center for Strategic Research and Development of Georgia 

19. Child, Family, Society

20. NGO Let’s Be Friends

21. Civic Development Institute

22. Women’s Fund

23. Studio Mobile – Accent on Movement

24. Georgian Association of Social Workers

25. Women’s Initiative for Equality                                                                        

26. Caucasus Network of Women

27. International Center on Conflict and Negotiation

28. Youth for Justice – Georgia

29. Woman and Environment – Association of Women of Kvemo Kartli 

30.  Armenian Women – Citizens of Georgia

31. Bolnisi Language House

32. LGBT Georgia

33. Women’s Initiatives Supportive Group

34. Community and Information Center of Kvemo Kartli

35. Inter-Ethnic Unity of Kvemo Kartli

36. Consultation and Training Center

37. Soviet Past Research Laboratory (Sov Lab)

38. Coalition for Independent Living

39. Youth Center for Independent Living 

40. Evangelical-Baptist Church

41. Institute for Development of Freedom of Information

42. ‘Temka – Zgvisubani’ community organization

43. Young Christians for Peace and Democracy

44. ‘Media and Society’ association

45. Academy for International Education and Development

46. Civil Society Development Center (CSDC)

47. CISV – Georgia

48. Georgian Young Greens 

49. Georgian Business Development Center ‘Caucasia’

50. Safe Space

51. Georgian Young Constitutionalists’ Association

52. Bible Society in Georgia  

53. ExpressNews news agency

54. Akhali Gazeti newspaper

55. Newspress.ge news agency

56. Social Activities for Civil Development

57. Non-commercial legal entity ‘Positive’                          

58. NGO Samtskhe-Javakheti Media Center

59. Club of Liberty

60. GeoDoc Film

61. Focus magazine

62. Young Pedagogues’ Union  

63. SIQA – Georgian Association of Educational Initiatives

64. TV 25

65. Urban Reactor

66. ‘Society for Development’ association

67. Institute for Peace and Harmonious Development

68. NGO Young Socialists

69. Samkhretis Karibche newspaper

70. ArgoMedia

71. Khalkhis Gazeti newspaper

72. Caucasus Journalists Network

73. International Partnership for Human Rights

74. United Nations Association of Georgia (UNAG)

75. Meokhi 2010

76. ‘Leaders for Democracy’ association

77. Pentecostal Church of Georgia

78. Media Fund

79. TV Net television network

80. ‘Modern Arts Club’ union

81. Group for Legal Development and Consultations

82. Hand in Hand

83. Research Center on Multiculturalism

84. ‘Accessible Environment for All’ movement

85. ‘Ndoba’ – Georgian Association of Psychosocial Aid

86. Union of TV Viewers

87. Association of Civil Society Development of Georgia

88. Civic Initiative (Tsnori)

89. Chemi Kharagauli newspaper

90. ‘Community Organization Nukriani’ union    

91. Education and Management Team

92. Center for Ethnic and Religious Relations

93. Biological Farming Association ‘Elkana’ 

94. Evangelical-Protestant Church of Georgia

95. Election Environment Development Center

96. Iberia advisory group

97. Media.ge

98. Svaneti Tourism Center