Human Rights and Democratization in the Republic of Georgia

In the late 1980's, Georgians began to organize politically to undo communism and to gain independence. They lived through a very exciting period, although a key element in the chronicle of the liberation movement was tragic, the April 1989 killings of peaceful protesters in Tbilisi by Soviet forces.

Since then, however, Georgia has endured very difficult times. It has been one of the most strife-torn New Independent States, a victim of internal political and ethnic divisiveness, and external provocation and aggression.