Nevertheless ILGA-Europe is concerned with the continuous surveillance of the Inclusive Foundation office by Georgian police, including tapping the telephone conversations of the Inclusive Foundations staff.

Linda Freimane, Co-Chair of ILGA-Europe’s Executive Board said:

“We are relieved and happy Paata is free and well. We want to thank all organisations and individuals across the world who supported Paata and campaigned for his release.”

Martin K.I. Christensen, Co-Chairs of ILGA-Europe’s Executive Boards, said:

“There are a few questions still to be answered by the Georgian authorities. We are concerned that the raid on the office of the Inclusive Foundation which took place on 15 December 2009 was disproportionate and humiliating. We are very concerned with the way the police forces treated the staff of the Inclusive Foundation and with the damage they cause to the office. The other worry is that Georgian police still monitors the office and that other leaders of the Inclusive Foundation, Tinatin Japaridze and Eka Agdgomelashvili, continue to be under police surveillance. We call on the Georgian authorities to immediately end intimidation and any surveillance of the Inclusive Foundation office and its staff.”

Ends

For more information please contact
Juris Lavrikovs at + 32 496 708 375

Notes for editors:

(1) ILGA-Europe is the European Region of ILGA, the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association and works for equality and human rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans & intersex people in Europe: www.ilga-europe.org