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DRI: The National Agency of Public Registry should not register Conservative Movement political party
22.11.2021
On November 20, 2021, the Alt-Info team founded a political party - Conservative Movement. Giorgi Kardava was elected Secretary General of the party and Zura Makharadze was elected Chairman of the party. Irakli Martinenko and Irakli Morgoshia were elected members of the Political Board. One of the founders and main sponsors of the party is Konstantine (Koka) Morgoshia. The political transformation of Alt-Info was preceded by the decision of the National Communications Commission of September 10, 2021, which gave the Alt-Info television the right to broadcast throughout Georgia.

The leaders of the Conservative Movement are the organizers of the violent events of July 5, who have not been prosecuted yet. The only sanction used so far was the decision of the Communications Commission to declare Alt-Info a violator of law for the spread of filth and use of obscene language relating to the July 5 events. However, Alt-Info has not been fined.

The founders openly stated at the party congress about the pro-Russian and anti-Western foreign vector of the Conservative Movement. Zura Makharadze named the end of "liberal dictatorship" in Georgia and creation of "Christian democracy" as the goals of the party. It is noteworthy that Alt-Info's editorial policy is characterized by xenophobic, homophobic and violent rhetoric.

According to paragraph 3 of Article 23 of the Constitution of Georgia and part 2 of Article 5 of the Organic Law of Georgia on Political Unions, “Establishment or operation of a party. . . which promotes war or violence, incites national, regional, religious or social strife, is inadmissable."

Similar restrictions apply in a number of Council of Europe countries, which provide for mechanisms ensuring "self-defense democracy". "The enemies of democracy should not be allowed to use the rights and freedoms of democracy to undermine it."[1] The abuse of rights is also prohibited by international human rights instruments.[2]

With this in mind, the Democracy Research Institute (DRI) believes that the National Agency of Public Registry of the Ministry of Justice of Georgia should pay special attention to the goals stated in the party's founding documents.

If the party incorporates unlawful provisions, promoting violence, social, national, religious or social strife in its registration documents, the Public Registry should refuse to register the Conservative Movement.


 
[1] R O'Connell, Militant Democracy and Human Rights PrinciplesConstitutional Law Review I, 102
[2] Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Art. 29 (2), 30; European Convention on Human Rights, Art. 17.