On July 22-23, 2025, OSCE/ODIHR conducted a course on the monitoring of assemblies for the staff of the Public Defender’s Office of Georgia.

The event was opened with welcoming remarks by Levan Ioseliani, Public Defender of Georgia, and Andrew Gardner, Acting Head of the OSCE/ODIHR Human Rights Department.

The training participants deepened their knowledge and skills necessary for independent observation of public assemblies based on the proven methodology developed by OSCE/ODIHR for monitoring assemblies.

During the two-day interactive course, international experts Annette Erdman, Gerry White and Helen Close focused on the theoretical aspects of the right to peaceful assembly and human rights-compliant policing during assemblies; standards for assessing demonstrations.

On the second day of the training, the staff of the Public Defender's Office discussed complex cases and exercises in working groups, as well as tactical options available to law enforcement officers and the use of force during assemblies.

The right to peaceful assembly is guaranteed by the main international human rights treaties. In order to assist OSCE participating States in fulfilling their respective obligations, the OSCE/ODIHR has been monitoring public assemblies in the OSCE region since 2011. In addition, by using observation methodology, the organization assists national human rights institutions/ombudsman offices and civil society in strengthening their assembly monitoring capabilities and promotes cooperation and partnership building.