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Georgia’s Parliamentary Election: How free and fair has the Campaign been, and how should the U.S. Government Respond?

Members

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Hon. Christopher Smith

Chairman

Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe

Hon. Steve Cohen

Commissioner

Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe

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Hon. Benjamin Cardin

Co-Chairman

Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe

Witnesses

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Thomas Melia

Deputy Assistant Secretary of State

Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor/Department of State

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Archil Gegeshidze

Senior Fellow

Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies

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Ariel Cohen

Senior Research Fellow

Russian and Eurasian Studies and International Energy Policy

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Mamuka Tsereteli

Professor

Center for Black Sea-Caspian Studies at School of International Service at American University

Georgia’s upcoming election will be a critical moment in the country’s development of democratic governance. An energized opposition coalition has posed the first serious challenge in years to the ruling party. The opposition has accused the government of harassment and skewing the playing field, while the government has denied these allegations and charged opposition with violating campaign laws. The atmosphere of the campaign and contending claims has been unusually heated, with both sides employing lobbyists to make their case in foreign capitals, especially Washington.

The focus of the hearing will be on the election’s fairness during the run-up to the vote and vote count, human rights issues connected to the election, and U.S. policy in response. The administration witness, Deputy Assistant Secretary Thomas Melia, has just returned from leading an interagency delegation to Georgia to assess the pre-election environment.

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Helsinki Commission Digital Digest September 2021

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Statements

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