Reacting to a new wave of arrests in Georgia, where police have detained over a dozen protesters after new restrictions on public gatherings were enforced, Denis Krivosheev, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, said:
“These arrests underscore an ever-deepening pattern of repression in Georgia. While states may impose certain restrictions on protests to maintain public order, the new amendments go far beyond what is permissible under international human rights law. Peaceful gatherings may temporarily disrupt traffic or cause inconvenience – this does not justify dispersal or arrest, which must be the last resort for non-violent protest activity.”
“The Georgian authorities appear determined to silence peaceful protesters through intimidation and punishment. The authorities must release all those detained solely for exercising their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.”
Background
On 17 October, new amendments to Georgia’s Administrative and Criminal Codes entered into force, introducing harsher penalties. Among other protest actions further restricted, covering one’s face, or setting up temporary structures is now punishable by up to 15 days of administrative detention, or 20 days for organizers, while participation in protests “subject to termination at the demand of the Ministry of Internal Affairs” would be punishable by up to 60 days of administrative detention.
Repeated offenses would trigger criminal liability, with penalties of up to one year in prison for a second offense and up to two years for subsequent ones. Similarly, individuals who insult or disobey police orders three or more times would face criminal charges carrying up to one year of imprisonment.
According to the Ministry of Interior, on 19 October the police identified 27 “offenders” who on 18 October took part in blocking part of Rustaveli Avenue, Tbilisi’s main street. Fourteen were taken into custody, while administrative proceedings are ongoing against the remaining 13. Prominent journalist and television anchor Vakho Sanaia was sentenced to six-days in detention, and activist Lara Nachkebia was dealt a four-day detention for “covering her face.” Another journalist, Keti Tsitskishvili, has also been detained but has not yet been tried.
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