Eduard Marikashvili
Eduard Marikashvili is a Georgian human rights defender and lawyer. In his human rights litigation, he focuses on juvenile justice, criminal law and accountability. He has been Chairperson of the human rights organisation “Georgian Democracy Initiative” (GDI) since 2021. GDI is committed to defending human rights, expanding inclusivity in society and promoting tolerance, as well as strengthening democratic reforms, advancing the rule of law and enhancing transparency and accountability of public institutions. GDI carried out monitoring, open debate, fact-based research and analysis of policy options to address the challenges facing Georgia. Eduard Marikashvili has been working as a human rights lawyer since 2014, and has headed the Legal Aid Centre within the GDI since 2017. He has also been a lecturer in the Free University of Tbilisi since 2019.
Human rights defenders in Georgia are often subjected to physical attacks, threats and insults, defamation, and slander. In most cases, these forms of intimidation are levelled against those who protect and promote the rights of migrants and members of national, religious, or sexual minorities, as well as those working on politically sensitive cases and in remote areas where they have almost no opportunities for protection.
