Paris-Tbilisi, April 24, 2009 - The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and its member organisation Human Rights Center (HRIDC) express their concerns on the repeated acts of harassment and violence directed at peaceful demonstrators in the capital Tbilisi.
On April 9 2009, thousands of peaceful demonstrators from the opposition have started to gather in the capital Tbilisi, calling for the resignation of President Saakashvili. The protests are ongoing to this day.
According to information gathered by HRIDC, violent attacks on demonstrators have been occurring almost every day. Dozens of demonstrators have been attacked while on their way back home in the evening, by unknown assaillants often wearing masks and armed with batons (e.g. the popular singer Z. Manjavidze was attacked on his way back home from the protest on April 15). In most instances, the attackers rode luxury cars and used them to corner their victims and render their escape impossible (e.g. I. Khukhuneishvili, O. Chelidze, N. Archavadze and E. Baramidze had their way blocked by 3 jeeps on April 10). All attacks seem to follow the same pattern, to target specifically figures from the opposition and/or activists taking part in the protest. Testimonies point to the lack of reaction from the police, who in some cases stands accused of turning a blind eye to the attacks.
FIDH and HRIDC call upon the Georgian authorities:
– to take all necessary steps to immediately put an end to this wave of violence, to guarantee the security and integrity of Georgian citizens, and to make sure that the Georgian police fulfil its duties of protecting citizens against violent, predatory and other harmful acts;
– to conform to their regional and international obligations, and ensure that all forces of the Ministry of the Interior act in conformity with national, regional and international standards which guarantee the right to freedom of peaceful assembly, including article 11 of European Convention on Human Rights and Articles 19 and 21 of the International Covenant and Civil and Political Rights, that Georgia has ratified;
– to make sure that these acts of harassment and violence are investigated without any further delay in order to identify all the initiators and perpetrators and bring them to justice.
Press contact : Gaël Grilhot : + 33-1 43 55 90 19