The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) has adopted The Hague Declaration, which includes a resolution on Georgia calling on the country’s authorities to release political prisoners and repeal legislation that restricts fundamental freedoms.
The resolution, titled “Protecting Electoral Integrity and Fundamental Freedoms in Georgia,” was sponsored by US Congressman Joe Wilson.
In the adopted text, the Assembly expresses concern over the conduct of Georgia’s October 26, 2024 parliamentary elections, noting that OSCE/ODIHR reports identified significant irregularities.
The resolution also voices concern over reports of alleged electoral fraud, vote manipulation, voter bribery, carousel voting, and obstruction of opposition observers during the October 2025 local elections.
The Assembly condemns the adoption of what it describes as restrictive legislation, including the Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence, amendments to the Law on Assemblies and Demonstrations, and changes to the Code of Administrative Offences, arguing that these measures significantly restrict freedoms of association, expression, the media, and peaceful assembly.
The resolution further expresses concern over what it describes as the systematic use of administrative resources and the consolidation of institutional power, saying these developments create an uneven political environment, undermine public trust in democratic processes, and contribute to de facto one-party rule.
It also condemns what it describes as the arbitrary detention and harassment of opposition politicians, journalists, and peaceful demonstrators who support Georgia’s democratic and European future.
Based on the resolution, the erosion of democratic checks and balances and deviations from Georgia’s OSCE commitments pose a direct threat to the country’s Euro-Atlantic integration.
The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly calls on the Georgian authorities to:
* Release all Georgian political prisoners identified by national and international human rights organizations;
* Repeal legislation that restricts fundamental freedoms and is inconsistent with Georgia’s human rights obligations;
* Launch comprehensive and transparent investigations into all reported electoral violations during the 2024 parliamentary and 2025 local elections and hold those responsible accountable;
* Initiate genuine reforms to restore the independence of the judiciary and the Central Election Commission, in consultation with the Venice Commission and OSCE/ODIHR;
* Ensure a safe environment for civil society organizations and independent media to operate without fear of retaliation.
The resolution also calls on OSCE PA members and the broader international community to continue advocating for the immediate restoration of democratic standards in Georgia and to support future elections conducted in line with the country’s OSCE commitments.
It further urges the international community not to recognize the results of any elections in Georgia that are not assessed as free, fair, and democratic by credible international and domestic election observation missions, and to continue closely monitoring the human rights situation while supporting the Georgian people’s democratic aspirations.
