The OSCE rapporteur, Patricia Gzhebik, described Georgia’s response to a portion of the Moscow Mechanism report as “particularly hostile.” She emphasized that the report’s purpose was not to initiate legal disputes or advance any political agenda. Gzhebik, the author of the report concerning Georgia, urged the Georgian Dream to repeal restrictive laws and called for the release of political prisoners within the country. Speaking to Interpressnews, Gzhebik explained her task involved conducting the mission and suggesting ways to assess the situation in Georgia.
She firmly rejected accusations of bias, stating she received no political instructions. Despite subsequent criticism, she noted that meetings with senior government officials, including the prime minister, were constructive, allowing for questions and answers, even after she departed. The report aims to represent all viewpoints, including those of the authorities, although the recommendations section provoked the strongest reaction from the Georgian government.
Gzhebik asserted that the facts presented in the report were accurately described and based on multiple sources. During her visit, she experienced a willingness to cooperate and clarify the situation, encountering no scepticism. The Moscow Mechanism, activated with support from 24 OSCE states, addresses concerns regarding arbitrary detention, torture, freedom of expression, and judicial independence in Georgia.
Gzhebik addressed claims of representing Poland’s interests, clarifying that the OSCE, not any single state, appointed her, and she prepared the report for the organization. She stated she was unfamiliar with state coordination of the mechanism and that her role focused solely on legal analysis. As a professor at the University of Warsaw, she stressed her independence as an expert and denied any political affiliation, rejecting allegations of conflict of interest related to her work in international courts.
Her sole interest, she maintained, was to fulfill the mission’s objectives without any hidden agenda. The 2026 report highlighted issues such as democratic backsliding, human rights deterioration, media pressure, and the prosecution of opposition figures in Georgia.
Topics: #report #georgia #moscow
