non-competitive” appointments of judges to The health of Irakli Bebua, an ethnic the Supreme Court and the High Council of Georgian resident of Gali serving nine years’ Justice, and the failure to adopt promised imprisonment for burning the Abkhaz flag, constitutional amendments on the process of reportedly deteriorated due to chronic appointing the Prosecutor General. diseases and lack of adequate healthcare in ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION detention. FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT In September, following year-long protests, The de facto authorities in Abkhazia and construction of the controversial Namakhvani South Ossetia/Tskhinvali Region continued to hydropower plant in western Georgia was detain civilians and restrict movement in and cancelled. Throughout the year, protesters out of government-controlled territory, challenging the construction of the plant over including through additional pandemic- environmental safety concerns were on related quarantine restrictions, which several occasions detained by the police and impacted a range of human rights including prevented from assembling near the economic and social. construction site. WORKERS' RIGHTS GERMANY Labour rights abuses and violations were widespread as companies laid off employees Federal Republic of Germany without due process and reduced or refused Head of state: Frank-Walter Steinmeier to pay wages, including those of essential Head of government: Olaf Scholz (replaced Angela workers, due to restrictions related to the Merkel in December) Covid-19 pandemic. In March, dozens of employees of a regional The number of hate crimes increased, but food delivery company had their employment the authorities failed to develop a contracts terminated in retaliation for comprehensive strategy against violence collective protests over wage cuts and rooted in discrimination. The law to protect worsening working conditions. In August, children born with variations of sex Tbilisi municipal rubbish collectors reported characteristics came into force. A law on receiving threats and wage cuts in retaliation freedom of assembly in North Rhine- for holding a three-day strike demanding Westphalia disproportionately restricted the better working conditions. right to freedom of peaceful assembly. ABKHAZIA AND SOUTH OSSETIA/ Authorities promised humanitarian visas to TSKHINVALI REGION the most vulnerable Afghans and their families. Amendments to the intelligence TORTURE AND OTHER ILL-TREATMENT law allowed authorities to install There remained no effective investigation into surveillance technology to monitor the death of Inal Dzhabiev from the encrypted communication. Germany breakaway South Ossetia/Tskhinvali Region, opposed a proposed waiver to the who died in custody in Tskhinvali after being Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of severely beaten following detention in August Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) aimed 2020. at increasing international distribution of Anri Ateiba, from the breakaway Abkhazia Covid-19 vaccines. In a landmark court region, died on 14 September after he was ruling, the Federal Climate Protection Act found unconscious in the temporary was found partially unconstitutional. detention centre in Gagra on 12 August. The investigation into his death remained pending. Amnesty International Report 2021/22 174