OSCE to examine human rights in GeorgiaOn 29 January, 24 OSCE member states activated the so-called Moscow Mechanism against Georgia — a tool used when there are concerns about a serious deterioration of the human rights situation in a participating state. In a joint statement, the countries said they were “closely monitoring the human rights situation in Georgia and growing increasingly concerned”, stressing that, as an OSCE participating state, Georgia is obliged to uphold human rights and fundamental freedoms. Tamta Mikeladze, director of the Social Justice Center, explains what the launch of the OSCE’s Moscow Mechanism means. The Moscow Mechanism is one of the toughest and most rarely used tools within the OSCE’s human dimension. Importantly, the findings are expected to shape assessments by other international organisations and influence Georgia’s official standing on human rights.”