On October 25-26, 2023, Tbilisi Free University (FreeUni) and Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University (BSU), with support from the USAID Rule of Law Program, held two public discussions for students in Batumi.

On October 25, Giorgi Beraia, guest lecturer at FreeUni discussed national and international standards of freedom of expression, focusing upon the legal grounds for restriction of the right. Thirty-seven students engaged in discussion of both Constitutional Court of Georgia decisions, and European Court of Human Rights opinions on the topic.

On October 26, BSU hosted the presentation of a joint amicus curiae brief that BSU students filed with the Constitutional Court. The brief addressed issues raised by the case of Eka Areshidze, Ketevan Meskhishvili, Madonna Maisuradze, Mamuka Tsiklauri, and Tamar Khazhomia vs. Parliament of Georgia, issues concerning the 2021 amendments to the Law on Common Courts. The brief criticizes parts of the law dealing with the disciplinary proceedings of judges, including the possibility to reassign judges to different courts as a disciplinary sanction.

Levan Jakeli, BSU Law School Dean, and Giorgi Beraia provided an overview of the legal issues in the case, while BSU students involved in drafting the amicus provided a detailed presentation on the law. BSU law students Mariam Lortkipanidze, Sopiko Tchaglidze, Gvantsa Varshanidze, and Khatia Leonidze, outlined international and national best practices of judges’ disciplinary proceedings and answered questions of their peers. 

All the students expressed gratitude to FreeUni for engaging them in drafting the amicus brief, stating this was for them a special and unique experience. Gvantsa Varshanidze added that involvement in the research gave her a unique opportunity to bridge the gap between theory and practice, deepening her knowledge of constitutional law and judicial disciplinary procedures.

Sopiko Tchagalidze affirmed saying, "I've gained invaluable theoretical and practical experience. Human rights stand as the bedrock of our legal system, and each step taken in its defense is a big achievement. Beyond honing practical skills, our work on the amicus project gave us great motivation. I was able to develop such skills, that will have a lasting impact on my future activities.”

Mariam Lortkipanidze also stressed the benefits of the project. She said, “Throughout our research for information, I’ve gathered a wealth of diverse theoretical knowledge. The project has nurtured invaluable practical skills that will undoubtedly shape my future as a lawyer. Continuing working on similar projects will be very important for my professional growth.”