Open statement of Georgian and Russian civil society organizations

OPEN STATEMENT OF GEORGIAN AND RUSSIAN CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS

Dear Participants of the October 15 talks in Geneva,

We the undersigned are urging you to make human rights the top priority of international efforts to regulate the conflict.  Violations of human rights and international humanitarian law have been committed by all sides of the conflict and the civilian population has suffered the most.
We call on the participants of the talks to publicly acknowledge the fundamental right of all persons displaced by the conflict to voluntary return in safety and dignity to their homes. The talks should specifically address the implementation of the right to return and define concrete steps to be taken in this regard.

Human Rights Priority (Georgia);
SOVA Center for Information and Analysis (Russia);
Nonviolence International
Youth Human Rights Movement (YHRM International) 
Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (Georgia);
Moscow Helsinki Group (Russia);
Center Demos (Russia);
Open Society Georgia Foundation  (Georgia);
Antiwar Club (Russia);
Center for the Development of Democracy and Human Rights (Russia);
Civic Assistance Committee (Russia);
Memorial Human Rights Center (Russia);
Movement for Human Rights (Russia);
Public Verdict Foundation (Russia);
Civil Development Agency, CiDA (Georgia);
Soldiers Mothers Committee (Russia);
Civil Council (Georgia);
Union 21 Century (Georgia);
International Center on Conflict and Negotiations (Georgia);
Georgia for NATO (Georgia);
Economical Policy Research Centre (Georgia);
Institute for Polling and Marketing (Georgia);
Curatio International Foundation (Georgia);
Union – New Generation Initiative (Georgia);
Association studio “Re” (Georgia).