On March 29, 2024, with the support of the USAID Rule of Law Program, the Free University of Tbilisi (FreeUni) organized a presentation of a research paper on Freedom of Expression.

Chiora Taktakishvili, Master in Public Law, Revaz Khoperia, Dean of FreeUni Law School, and Maia Kopaleishvili, Professor at Tbilisi State University, directed the research and drafted the paper. The research explores jurisprudence and case law from Georgia, Germany, and the U.S. dealing with freedom of expression. The drafters were assisted in their research by six law students from FreeUni and Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University.

During the presentation, Ms. Kopaleishvili introduced the legislation and practices of the Constitutional Court of Georgia regarding freedom of expression. Mr.  Khoperia for his part, presented the theory and practices developed in Germany. Ms. Shelia reviewed the standards and legal framework of the U.S. related to freedom of expression. To complete the exposition, Nata Tsnoriashvili spoke about the experience and knowledge that students acquired while working on the study.

Commenting on her role in the project, FreeUni law student Nino Shelia said, “Participating in the research, particularly focusing on the precedential decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court, has been a remarkable experience for me. During my journey as a student assistant researcher, I explored legal precedents and analyzed dozens of cases, which significantly improved my research skills. Every day I find myself appreciating the detailed aspects of freedom of expression and its crucial role in society.”

Another participating student, Lasha Shainidze, from Batumi State University, said, “Studying the legislation of different countries and becoming familiar with case law gave me the opportunity to take a fresh look at such an important human right as freedom of expression. The skills acquired during the research process will be very useful in my future work and will help me become a highly qualified lawyer.”