According to Tamar Oniani, Chairperson of the Young Lawyers’ Association of Georgia (SAYA), the Strasbourg Court has begun reviewing a complaint concerning the 2024 parliamentary elections.

At a press briefing today, Oniani stated that, according to the Court, the case may be given a status with significant influence.

“In the complaint submitted by SAYA, it was noted that during the elections, the electoral administration’s failure to properly fulfill its obligations massively violated the fundamental principle of the secrecy of the ballot. Furthermore, during the review of electoral disputes, the right to an effective remedy was violated. SAYA also argued in the complaint that the blanket provisions in Georgian legislation, which limit citizens’ ability to submit complaints in electoral disputes, do not comply with the requirements of the European Convention on Human Rights,” Oniani stated.

According to her, SAYA submitted this complaint in 2025.

The SAYA Chairperson explained that the case is being considered under Article 3 of Protocol No. 1 of the European Convention on Human Rights (right to free elections) and Article 13 (right to an effective remedy).

“The Court will also examine and assess whether the insufficient number of polling stations abroad violates the right to vote. The Court has set a deadline of May 15, 2026, for the state to submit its position regarding this case.

The Strasbourg Court accepted the submitted complaints for substantive review in a short period of time. This highlights the priority the Court places on the case and provides an opportunity for the international court to evaluate the systematic violations of ballot secrecy observed during the October 26, 2024, elections, as well as the gaps in electoral legislation that infringe on rights protected under the Convention,” Tamar Oniani said.