The tension between protesters and the Georgian government escalated on 28/29 May as the ruling Georgian Dream party used its parliamentary majority to override the presidential veto on the controversial “foreign influence” bill. The same day, Zviad Kharazishvili, the head of the national police’s Special Tasks Department, admitted in a televised report his force’s readiness to exercise unrestrained force against protesters and the existence of a “list” of protesters who would be specifically targeted by police

Reacting to the Georgian parliament’s decision to override the presidential veto on the “foreign influence” bill, amid open threats by a top police official to peaceful protesters, Marie Struthers, Amnesty International’s Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, said:

“The vote to override the presidential veto goes a long way to demonstrate how confident and reckless the Georgian authorities are in their resolve to curtail independent civil society in Georgia – it is a tragic day for the country. This malevolent piece of legislation must be scrapped immediately as it directly violates the right to freedom of association. The government must end its campaign of intimidation and violence against Georgian civil society and against those who oppose this law through protest and other peaceful means.

This malevolent piece of legislation must be scrapped immediately as it directly violates the right to freedom of association

Marie Struthers, Amnesty International’s Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia

“The world is watching this spiteful step and the government’s violent intent towards peaceful protesters. The recent revelations of top-level orders to police to target specific protesters on a ‘list’ for beatings are as shocking as they are self-indicting. The government’s audacious campaign against human rights in Georgia must stop now.”

Background

The tension between protesters and the Georgian government escalated on 28/29 May as the ruling Georgian Dream party used its parliamentary majority to override the presidential veto on the controversial “foreign influence” bill. The same day, Zviad Kharazishvili, the head of the national police’s Special Tasks Department, admitted in a televised report his force’s readiness to exercise unrestrained force against protesters and the existence of a “list” of protesters who would be specifically targeted by police. A large crowd of protesters gathered in front of the Parliament building, while police forces cordoned off the building and its approaches.

The Georgian authorities have used intimidating tactics against those opposing the law, including threats, smear campaigns, illegal use of force by police, arbitrary arrests, beatings and other forms of ill-treatment in custody. Dozens of peaceful protestors have been fined solely for participating in the protests, while there has been no accountability for the police’s use of unlawful force in the streets.